Johnny Marr at the Stone Pony

Johnny Marr's latest effort Playland is a disappointment. There's no use in sugarcoating it. Marr, of course, is a legend -- an icon -- and nothing he does can damage his iconic status in the pantheon of musical greatness. His songwriting partnership with Morrissey yielded a bumper crop of timeless material. But his output as a solo artist is far more inconsistent -- many of his guitar licks feel less than innovative and his songwriting and lyrics just don't measure up. And nowhere has that been more evident than Friday night at the -- similarly iconic -- Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

I'll get back to Marr in a minute but first, about the Stone Pony. I had never seen a show there. It's not a large room and the stage is just a platform on one side. It's so unassuming that there are signs warning patrons not to put personal belongings on the stage, and that includes their drinks. There's also no backstage. There's a stage door that leads to the sidewalk outside and that's where the performers come in before going on stage. Also, the roadies and techs are all right there in a penned off area between that stage door and the stage itself.

We staked out a good location on the side along that pen. We had a clear shot of the stage door, and a very good view of the stage. So around 10pm, in came Marr's band followed by Marr himself. They started with the rather forgettable title track from the new record before launching into "Panic", the first of six Smiths songs. Again, I felt that watching Marr do Smiths songs was totally natural. Sure, he didn't sing on the originals or write the lyrics, but it's his music and seeing Marr do them is as close as we'll come to seeing the Smiths reunite. (It just won't happen.)

After "Panic" was "The Right Thing Right" from the last record -- which is one of Marr's better solo tracks, and the catchy albeit uninspired new single "Easy Money". The new stuff just felt soulless in comparison to the Smiths material, which still crackled after 30 years.

There were a couple of nice touches: He paired two songs about schooling "New Town Velocity" and "The Headmaster Ritual" and he again played Electronic's "Getting Away With It" -- calling it a song about his hometown of Manchester. He paid tribute to the Stone Pony itself by talking about how, growing up in England in the mid-'70s he would hear about it as Bruce Springsteen was coming up and said it was an honor to play on the same stage. And -- of course -- he finished his 15-song first set with "How Soon is Now?" which still sounds better than most anything else out there.

After a quick break, Marr and the band came back out for "Still Ill" - a Smiths song I hadn't previously heard him do - as well as "I Fought the Law" and the show closer "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" which he dedicated to Bruce Springsteen (and everyone in the crowd.)

Overall, it was an enjoyable show. But I came away with the distinct feeling that the Smiths were such a good band that nothing Marr does now can come close to his former greatness. And I was left with a tinge of wistfulness for the Smiths reunion that will never happen.

I've Seen Rock and Roll's Future...

...and its name is Frank Turner.

Did I get your attention? The Springsteen reference is apt, if perhaps a bit premature. Englishman Turner has the pedigree, and he has the chops. After playing in a hardcore band in the early 2000s, he was inspired to make his brand of folk-punk after listening to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. That should pique the interest of one of the Discordants. (Another one would be happy to know that he opened for the Gaslight Anthem on the European tour.)

So now, some music.

Here's "Recovery", the radio-friendly first single off his current 2013 album Tape Deck Heart:

The second single is called "The Way I Tend To Be". It's more of a love song, but I could see it getting airplay on American country radio despite being far more literate than the usual Nashville tripe.But I am loving the mandolin.

Here's 2011's "Peggy Sang the Blues", which he wrote for his grandmother. Lots of message, here, and some themes about living life that he tends to revisit in his work.

And from 2008, something a little more political, with a little more bite.

I love it LIVE!

The most recent Rolling Stone magazine came up with their 25 best live albums (in no particular order.)  They did a decent job covering a pretty wide spectrum.  Before looking, I tried to come up with my five favorite (not saying best) live records.  I specifically took into account some that were major influences to my musical tastes, or that I still listen to live. Great records like "Live at the Fillmore," "Kiss - Alive!" "Live at the Apollo" or "Stop Making Sense" do not make the cut for these reasons. Feel free to post whatever you feel is deserving or was omitted.

Neil Young - Live Rust.
A favorite of mine.  So many great songs.  Much like many great live records (Cheap Trick's Live at Budakon, or Frampton Comes Alive comes to mind), the performance of these are better than their studio versions.  CD's might not do this record justice, as it came out with side A being acoustic, and side B being electric.  So many great performances.  "Powderfinger," "Like a Hurricane," and even "Lotta Love," just make this record such a classic. 

Grateful Dead - Live Europe '72
You cannot discuss live music without including the Dead.  I know, with all the Dick's picks, and vast catalog of liver recordings, to go with this one makes me look like a poser.  This record turned me on to so many great Dead songs.  Dead worlds collided on this record as it was the last one with Pigpen, but also the first to feature the Godchauxs. A true classic.

Bruce Springsteen - Live '75-'85
This one is kind of a cheat, but I must include it.  Christmas 1985 my parents bought me a cd player.  I was the first kid I knew to have one.  With it I received this box set.  I wasn't a hug fan of Springsteen at the time, but my parents (my mom, who helped form my musical tastes) felt it was an essential set to have.  I must have listened to it in its entirety and shuffled for a few years.  I can still do Bruce's "rap" before the River" or "Growin' Up."  Cannot say I play much off of it anymore, but boy, did they create a serious foundation for my musical tastes.

Nirvana - Unplugged
Never has an album, so stripped down, shown the true talents of a band like this "unplugged."  Kurt Cobain was struggling with drug withdrawal and nervousness at the time, and things were very tense going into that performance.  What made this special and different than all the other "unplugged" shows, Nirvana did these song sin one take, like a true live show.  I love that Nirvana shied away from the "hits" and played 6 covers.  The songs with the Meat Puppets really showed the talents of the group.

Rolling Stones - Rock & Roll Circus 

Not a true, live concert performance, but a live recording, none the less.  The Stones put out various live recordings, but this 1968 Jagger-based concept is something most causal Stones fans have never seen.  Based off of a circus theme, the Stones gathered up some strong acts such as the Who, Jethro Tull, and the Dirty Mac to perform.  The performance was supposed to air on the BBC, but the Stones felt it was substandard and fought its release until 1996. Their performance of "Sympathy for the Devil" alone is worth this recording. 

Best Year in Music - the Rebuttal (1975)

Off the top of my head, The one year that came to mind would be 1975.  A crucial year for music.  Classic Rock apex's, the singer-songwriter begins to fade, disco will begin to creep in, punk roots are formed, and alternative radio influences begin to form.  Do I listen to this stuff much now, not really.  But I can appreciate the influence it has had.

Here are my examples:

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks

Patti Smith - Horses

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Blues for Allah by the Grateful Dead, Katy Lied by Steely Dan, Night at the Opera by Queen, Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith, Alive! by Kiss, Tonight's the Night by Neil Young, Red Octopus by Jefferson Starship, Dreamboat Annie by Heart, and Metal Machine Music by Lou Reed are not shabby runner-ups. 

Plus songs like "No Woman , No Cry," by Bob Marley, "Love is the Drug" by Roxy Music, "Low Rider" by WAR, "Slow Ride" by Foghat, "I'm not in Love" by 10cc, "Ballroom Blitz" by Sweet, "Rhinestone Cowboy" by Glen Campbell, and "If" by Telly Savals all help to make a strong case for our country's199th year!

Politicians Who Don't Get It...

Last week, Tom Petty called on Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann to stop using "American Girl" at campaign events. We've seen this before, most famously when Bruce Springsteen asked Ronald Reagan to stop using "Born in the USA" during the 1984 campaign. (Reagan didn't realize Bruce wasn't singing about blind patriotism with that one.)

Anyway, here's an interesting read that mixes my day job -- covering politics -- with the culture of music. And it helps shed light on the cultural divide between Republicans and the musicians whose songs they tend to co-opt for political purposes.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/58255.html

RIP Clarence Clemons

Well, the legendary sidekick of one of my favorite bands died on Saturday after suffering a major stroke.  I am glad I had the opportunity to see Clarence Clemons perform with the E-Street band on many the occasion, and friends and I even talked about if this was the last time they would be the powerhouse they were known for (no offense to keyboardist Danny Federici who died in 2008.)  Sadly, it appears 2009 might be the end of the legendary E Street band  that has made Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band the infamous  live performers that they were known to be.  In honor of the Big Man, I give you my 5 favorite Clemons solos:

5.  Badlands
A small solo, but huge in stature in a live performance.  When Clarence steps forward in the passionate sing along, it serves as an emphasis to "spit in the face of these Badlands!"

4.  Rosalita
Technically, not as impressive as many other solos, the swirling sounds of the tenor sax keeps this party in motion.  A classic show-stopper, and a great example of how Clemons saxophone helps to create the full sound of the E Street Band.

3.  Trapped
Not a Springsteen penned song (written by Reggae artist Jimmy Cliff) The solo served as a powerful attempt at escape.  It is one of my favorite live songs and the solo always gave me chills.

2.  Jungleland
Probably most people would rank this as #1, and that's because it is good.  Real good.  In one of Springsteen's better story-telling songs, the action seems to stop and clam down when Clarence pulls out this lengthy beautiful solo to change the mood of all that surrounds Jungleland.

1.  The Fever
A song that Springsteen was never fond of drips with sexuality like nothing I have ever heard before on record.  The sultry saxophone that continues throughout the song definitely  helps to create the mood of longing and wanting that Springsteen so passionately croons about.