After a relatively slow November, we have pieces scheduled for Mickey Hart, Greg Harris, Leftover Salmon, Trace Bundy and the enigmatic Trombone Shorty coming up for December. Busy month coming up.
We were pleased that we managed to turn out a decent (well, at least my editor liked it) piece on Ginga for Boulder Magazine, the local sextet specializing in Brazilian samba. I had my doubts going into this assignment, but Greg and Francisco were expansive interviews and the band has this thing happening.
I can't say I'm a sudden convert to it....but I like the vibe of the stuff, and the players are true professionals. Hope the piece helps grease the skids a bit for them.
Showing posts with label music column. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music column. Show all posts
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Weird and sad news
Saw on the Fox Theater's Facebook feed that Wendy Kale passed away today. She was 58, no word yet on COD.
Wendy was certainly a tireless promoter of the local music scene here in Boulder, and while she and I were not close, I did admire her breathtaking staying power and seemingless inexhaustible zeal.
I'm not sure if 58 is really "too young" - being only a few years behind, perhaps it's hard me for me to be objective about that - but I must in all honesty regard her as a peer music journalist in Boulder over the past two decades, and in that respect, I do find the news sad.
Wendy was certainly a tireless promoter of the local music scene here in Boulder, and while she and I were not close, I did admire her breathtaking staying power and seemingless inexhaustible zeal.
I'm not sure if 58 is really "too young" - being only a few years behind, perhaps it's hard me for me to be objective about that - but I must in all honesty regard her as a peer music journalist in Boulder over the past two decades, and in that respect, I do find the news sad.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Catching up
We've been remiss lately, and no excuses.
We did a nice interview with Davy Knowles a few weeks back, the kid has been flying high as the latest contender for blues/rock savior crown, now soiled and greasy from having been handed down through the hands of Beck, Clapton, Green, Gallagher et al. Unremarkably, he wishes people (like me, probably) would credit him for his songs, rather than his chops. But frankly, in case no one has told him yet, his chops are better.
DeVotchka keeps putting out soaring, redemption-heavy CD masterpieces, and their upcoming release 100 Lovers is likely to be regarded as one of their best, even if they have drifted fairly far afield from their Romani-campfire eastern euro roots into broad, sweeping, almost futuristic chamber rock. Nick Urata was hung over on Super Bowl Sunday, and our cell connection was just this side of miserable. But we managed a decent piece nonetheless.
Upcoming: Stanley Clarke (if his publicist ever stoops to replying to my email), Stockholm Syndrome and Dirty Dozen. Next three weeks busy.
We did a nice interview with Davy Knowles a few weeks back, the kid has been flying high as the latest contender for blues/rock savior crown, now soiled and greasy from having been handed down through the hands of Beck, Clapton, Green, Gallagher et al. Unremarkably, he wishes people (like me, probably) would credit him for his songs, rather than his chops. But frankly, in case no one has told him yet, his chops are better.
DeVotchka keeps putting out soaring, redemption-heavy CD masterpieces, and their upcoming release 100 Lovers is likely to be regarded as one of their best, even if they have drifted fairly far afield from their Romani-campfire eastern euro roots into broad, sweeping, almost futuristic chamber rock. Nick Urata was hung over on Super Bowl Sunday, and our cell connection was just this side of miserable. But we managed a decent piece nonetheless.
Upcoming: Stanley Clarke (if his publicist ever stoops to replying to my email), Stockholm Syndrome and Dirty Dozen. Next three weeks busy.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Motet
We had a great chat with Dave Watts a couple of weeks ago, in preparation for what might be their Motet's most demanding and ambitious trib show ever - Earth Wind and Fire. Three nights - Aggie, Ogden and landing at the Fox for Halloween. Piece ran in the Weekly yesterday (Thurs).
Faced with an indifferently uncooperative Fox publicist (did I say something about the BT/Fox merger being basically invisible??) and an editor busy with his own job, I found myself suddenly without a GL spot for Sunday's Fox gig.
Called the nice girl from the Aggie (Cornelia - my new bff) and she slapped me on their list + 1 for tonight; no begging/pleading/'don't you guys have a laminate?' bullshit. To and from Ft Collins will be a bit of a pain, but this show I want to see,
Which...gave me an idea. We'll be following up on this soon.
I'm still a little perplexed how I got to the place where I have to compete for one night's use of a communal BW/Fox laminate, for a show I actually covered (led the section), in a paper I've written for for 16 years, about a band I've covered for a decade....with people who have never covered a Fox Show, ever, once. I swear I'm doing something wrong.
Faced with an indifferently uncooperative Fox publicist (did I say something about the BT/Fox merger being basically invisible??) and an editor busy with his own job, I found myself suddenly without a GL spot for Sunday's Fox gig.
Called the nice girl from the Aggie (Cornelia - my new bff) and she slapped me on their list + 1 for tonight; no begging/pleading/'don't you guys have a laminate?' bullshit. To and from Ft Collins will be a bit of a pain, but this show I want to see,
Which...gave me an idea. We'll be following up on this soon.
I'm still a little perplexed how I got to the place where I have to compete for one night's use of a communal BW/Fox laminate, for a show I actually covered (led the section), in a paper I've written for for 16 years, about a band I've covered for a decade....with people who have never covered a Fox Show, ever, once. I swear I'm doing something wrong.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The critic as scorned diva
How exactly do you signal your acute disappointment to a publicist, who insisted you were on a guest list to a Los Lobos show, that you were in fact NOT on any such list, that the cheerless twentysomethings at will call and walking around with iPhones had never heard of you and couldn't care less that you had covered their show and helped in some small way to contribute to their pittence, without sounding like a whining drama queen primadonna asswipe?
This is something I should have an answer for, but curiously do not.
And the same publicist for whom said critic has extended himself this whole summer, and who is now faced with a meager four days to produce a cover story based on two interviews said publicist has done little to facilitate, thus guaranteeing a last minute firedrill for which they will bear absolutely zero accountability.
It seems my careful parsing of language must now be devoted to bullshit. Something here is just not right.
This is something I should have an answer for, but curiously do not.
And the same publicist for whom said critic has extended himself this whole summer, and who is now faced with a meager four days to produce a cover story based on two interviews said publicist has done little to facilitate, thus guaranteeing a last minute firedrill for which they will bear absolutely zero accountability.
It seems my careful parsing of language must now be devoted to bullshit. Something here is just not right.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Days off, and not really off
Spent Friday between conference calls and paperwork for day gig, and assembling a piece on Jamie Janover for BM - the piece went okay, generally, although I struggled mightily for a lede and came up with something a little lame. I hope it flies, or at least comes back to me in time to rewrite.
Los Lobos today - somewhat garbled and typically lowkey interview with Steve Berlin on Wednesday. One of the things I like about these guys is their complete and pathological refusal to get real excited about what they do. Makes my life as a writer somewhat more difficult, but an admirable quality. We do what we do, we've been doing it for a while, we're glad a few people like it. Anything else?
Los Lobos today - somewhat garbled and typically lowkey interview with Steve Berlin on Wednesday. One of the things I like about these guys is their complete and pathological refusal to get real excited about what they do. Makes my life as a writer somewhat more difficult, but an admirable quality. We do what we do, we've been doing it for a while, we're glad a few people like it. Anything else?
Monday, August 2, 2010
Pretty sure
...we're getting close to the end here. It bothers me that this should be so, but part of me also accepts it.
I mean, seriously. Isn't it time to yield to younger, more deeply passionate and articulate writers who attribute every quote and place their commas and ellipses properly?
I mean, seriously. Isn't it time to yield to younger, more deeply passionate and articulate writers who attribute every quote and place their commas and ellipses properly?
OK
Frisell piece went pretty well. Bill is one of those guys, and amongst those with careers as lengthy as his there aren't very many, who seems perpetually puzzled that people ever want to interview him.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Bill Frisell
Chat with him tomorrow, small piece in advance of a fundraising gig at Unity Church. LAst minute request from Dave at BW.
I like Bill and his music, but never sure what an interview is going to be like.
I like Bill and his music, but never sure what an interview is going to be like.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Back
The road back from Cuyahoga County was somewhat less grueling than I had feared, included an utterly amazing Iowa sunset Saturday night.
It was, however, somewhat shrouded in gloom as we got a phone call Thursday night that the neighbors had 'forgotten' to tend to the animals...who were left alone, unfed and unwatered, in the house for a week.
Hysterics, tears, anger, chaos all ensued, with the two dogs ending up at a 24-hour vet facility, and Cassie in critical condition. Blood work numbers all over the map, acute dehydration, etc. Doc said when the dog came in she looked half-dead. Bagoas, amazingly, was healthy. Cats appeared to be okay, Swasey being little more than very pissed off, and Smudge apparently (and thankfully) oblivious.
Seriously bad miss on the neighbors' parts - they are absolutely fired from any further pet sitting, and probably some beyond that.
Finished two stories while out there, pieces on Big Head Todd and Paper Bird. Pitched quickly on a Bill Frisell piece for next week, and a BM piece on Jamie Janover approaching.
More on the music stuff shortly.
It was, however, somewhat shrouded in gloom as we got a phone call Thursday night that the neighbors had 'forgotten' to tend to the animals...who were left alone, unfed and unwatered, in the house for a week.
Hysterics, tears, anger, chaos all ensued, with the two dogs ending up at a 24-hour vet facility, and Cassie in critical condition. Blood work numbers all over the map, acute dehydration, etc. Doc said when the dog came in she looked half-dead. Bagoas, amazingly, was healthy. Cats appeared to be okay, Swasey being little more than very pissed off, and Smudge apparently (and thankfully) oblivious.
Seriously bad miss on the neighbors' parts - they are absolutely fired from any further pet sitting, and probably some beyond that.
Finished two stories while out there, pieces on Big Head Todd and Paper Bird. Pitched quickly on a Bill Frisell piece for next week, and a BM piece on Jamie Janover approaching.
More on the music stuff shortly.
Monday, June 28, 2010
UM story in, cheerleading
Did a great interview with Jake Cinninger from Umphrey's McGee last week, actually one of the few jam scene's veteran bands I find consistently interesting, probably due to their shameless progrock indulgences.
They're doing a show at the Rocks, twin bill with Galactic and the Wailers supporting.
Piece went ok.
In other news, David tells me that the Weekly wants to "concentrate on local bands in the next few months", and I didn't really ask for clarification. It DID strike me as consistent with a comment he made a few months ago, that the paper valued my presence since I was one of their few local writers...so I've been a litle hung up on this notion that they keep me around to cheerlead the local bands, and have their outside writers cover the other stuff.
I can't say I'm altogether comfortable with either an unnaturally sharp focus on local musicians, or with me being pigeon-holed as their "guy on the local beat", something I've never really wanted to do, and doubt I'd be very good at anyway. I have covered locally-oriented stuff the last month or so; Otis Taylor, who lives here but doesn't play here much, and the Sonic Bloom Festival, focusing on Jamie Janover.
My complaints about "we cover local music" are fairly simple; 1) being local doesn't mean you're any good 2) being local shouldn't trigger press coverage, being good should and 3) extraordinary focus on local subject matter for its own sake, in my view, only serves to amplify Boulder's runaway narcissism and render the paper little more than a mirror for it.
From my perspective, I really don't think people "support local music" just for the sake of doing so, and never really have. Club goers with limited discretionary spending will pay for something they like.
We'll see where this leads, but for now I'm laying low.
They're doing a show at the Rocks, twin bill with Galactic and the Wailers supporting.
Piece went ok.
In other news, David tells me that the Weekly wants to "concentrate on local bands in the next few months", and I didn't really ask for clarification. It DID strike me as consistent with a comment he made a few months ago, that the paper valued my presence since I was one of their few local writers...so I've been a litle hung up on this notion that they keep me around to cheerlead the local bands, and have their outside writers cover the other stuff.
I can't say I'm altogether comfortable with either an unnaturally sharp focus on local musicians, or with me being pigeon-holed as their "guy on the local beat", something I've never really wanted to do, and doubt I'd be very good at anyway. I have covered locally-oriented stuff the last month or so; Otis Taylor, who lives here but doesn't play here much, and the Sonic Bloom Festival, focusing on Jamie Janover.
My complaints about "we cover local music" are fairly simple; 1) being local doesn't mean you're any good 2) being local shouldn't trigger press coverage, being good should and 3) extraordinary focus on local subject matter for its own sake, in my view, only serves to amplify Boulder's runaway narcissism and render the paper little more than a mirror for it.
From my perspective, I really don't think people "support local music" just for the sake of doing so, and never really have. Club goers with limited discretionary spending will pay for something they like.
We'll see where this leads, but for now I'm laying low.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Done
The Face story is basically finished and MJ is happy, and the Otis story is off to Dave at BW.
This week - evidence review for the DFM, an update or two to SBP, Pat Metheny Wed night and watching the River Flow.
This week - evidence review for the DFM, an update or two to SBP, Pat Metheny Wed night and watching the River Flow.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Getting thru it
Managed to send off two versions of my Boulder Magazine piece on Face late this afternoon. Neither is terrific, but both are competent and reasonably well-written. Hopefully Mary takes one or the other and doesn't try to crank it into something it's not. Fan mail never had much appeal for me, and less as time goes on. She could completely ruin my friggin' week if she asks for a rewrite - unlikely, but entirely possible.
My interview yesterday with Otis was predictably nothing much to write home about. He was groggy and still recuperating from a recent hospital stay, so it was a struggle to get him going, more than usual. I think I can stretch to 1000 words on this, but a stretch it will be.
Then...done. Till after SJ.
My interview yesterday with Otis was predictably nothing much to write home about. He was groggy and still recuperating from a recent hospital stay, so it was a struggle to get him going, more than usual. I think I can stretch to 1000 words on this, but a stretch it will be.
Then...done. Till after SJ.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Jammed up
A string of two or three setbacks in quick succession have led me to a place where I'm seriously considering either calling the newspaper gig quits, or at least taking an extended break.
The Spankers thing still stings, getting completely stiffed on Phoenix, a so-so chat with a surprisingly standoff-ish Robben Ford yesterday, a quickly arranged chat for tomorrow with Otis, with whom I have a decent relationship but will be probably unprepared for (and I know how he hates that), being relegated to an email interview with Metheny for 'Orchestrion', and probably in the process of getting stiffed for a piece on the Fray...one after another, I'm feeling like I'm swinging at air here. Part of this is my fault, part of it is a series of events or screwups outside of my control, but combined they suggest that I'm just not packing the kind of punch I used to.
As recently as a couple of months ago, I felt like I had this thing really under control. Will see how the next week plays out - I can't walk away from the obligations I've already committed to - but I have to take a breath and re-evaluate.
The Spankers thing still stings, getting completely stiffed on Phoenix, a so-so chat with a surprisingly standoff-ish Robben Ford yesterday, a quickly arranged chat for tomorrow with Otis, with whom I have a decent relationship but will be probably unprepared for (and I know how he hates that), being relegated to an email interview with Metheny for 'Orchestrion', and probably in the process of getting stiffed for a piece on the Fray...one after another, I'm feeling like I'm swinging at air here. Part of this is my fault, part of it is a series of events or screwups outside of my control, but combined they suggest that I'm just not packing the kind of punch I used to.
As recently as a couple of months ago, I felt like I had this thing really under control. Will see how the next week plays out - I can't walk away from the obligations I've already committed to - but I have to take a breath and re-evaluate.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Ah, to be the toast of the ...universe
Unsurprisingly, scheduled phoner today with Thomas Mars of Phoenix got cut, amidst hurriedly blurted publicist promises of a reschedule for tomorrow or Friday.
This is what happens when you are the the most (indisputably) blogged about band in the world right now. Which may last until...what, the end of this post?
A Little snark, but hey, if I had a dime for phoner that got rescheduled...so no biggie, and I do like their record, and it gives me another day to practice saying "comment ca va?", which I am regrettably out of practice doing.
This is what happens when you are the the most (indisputably) blogged about band in the world right now. Which may last until...what, the end of this post?
A Little snark, but hey, if I had a dime for phoner that got rescheduled...so no biggie, and I do like their record, and it gives me another day to practice saying "comment ca va?", which I am regrettably out of practice doing.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Screwed up
Wammo and Christina Marrs are not married.
Laughed at on Facebook, groveling before my editor, and truly embarrassed.
Shit.
Laughed at on Facebook, groveling before my editor, and truly embarrassed.
Shit.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
GBS
...made the BW cover this week. First time (I think) since my Otis Taylor piece in...yikes, 2002?Maybe 2003. Can't remember.
Ever show up at a party in your work clothes where everyone else was dressed up?
Really wasn't that happy with the piece, although I did work on it longer than usual and cleaned it up quite a bit from first draft.
Fact is, I'm seldom very happy with any piece I do anymore - it's a clinical thing, I think.
Temper Trap phoner tonight.
Ever show up at a party in your work clothes where everyone else was dressed up?
Really wasn't that happy with the piece, although I did work on it longer than usual and cleaned it up quite a bit from first draft.
Fact is, I'm seldom very happy with any piece I do anymore - it's a clinical thing, I think.
Temper Trap phoner tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)