Being There:The importance of Uncle Tupelo and Wilco

 Alternative country or alt-country by definition is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that differs significantly from mainstream country and country rock. Many alternative country bands and artists cite Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, and the Carter Family as major influences because they lyrically represent the working class/working man. Country rock also plays a big factor when it comes to an alternative country with Graham Parsons being the trailblazer. Moreover, punk music played an additional role in forming an alternative country. Bands like Whiskeytown, Drive-by Truckers, and Cowboy Junkies played an important part in defining the genre. However, the two bands that are the quintessential alternative country bands that defined the genre and made it mainstream are Uncle Tupelo and Wilco. Uncle Tupelo was formed in 1987 in Bellville, Illinois by Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy (who would go on to form Wilco), and Mike Herion. The band blended the elements of punk, hardcore punk, and the country harmonies and instrumentation of Hank Williams and Jimmie Rogers so seamlessly. The band's first album No Depression became the codeword for the genre and was released to critical acclaim. With songs like the harrowing "Whiskey Bottle," the melancholy title track, and the brilliant Jeff Tweedy penned "Screen Door". The album became such a success that the album title became a discussion site and later a website dedicated to the genre. Unfortunately, Uncle Tupelo broke up at the height of their commercial success after only 4 studio albums. The breakup of Uncle Tupelo only fueled Jeff Tweedy more in his music career. In 1995, Tweedy's new band Wilco released their debut album A.M. The album spawned fan favorites like "Must Be High" The Rolling Stones influenced "Casino Queen", the gorgeous country ballad "It's Just That Simple" and the tongue-in-cheek "Passenger Side". Critic reviews were somehow mixed. However, their sophomore album Being There skyrocketed the band to fame and was hit with both critics and fans. Songs include the delightful country ballad 'Far, Far, Away" the jam-band infused "KingPin' and garage rockers like "Outtasite, (Outtamind). In 1998, the band would pay tribute to Americana hero Woody Guthrie and a catalog of his unreleased material with Mermaid Avenue. The band's most acclaimed album is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, released in 2002. It was originally going to be released in 2001 but Reprise records which were the band's record label at the time refused to release it due to the label being unsatisfied with the end product. The band then started streaming the album on their website. 

Wilco recently released their double album Cruel Country which I love because I'm a huge fan of their first two records. If you're not a fan of country or trying to give it a chance, I highly suggest these two bands to help change your opinion. You'll thank me later. 

Generational Appreciation : 5 songs my grandpa loved

 July 7th is a  important date for me. Today would of been my grandpa George's 88th birthday. In June, it marked 11 years since his passing and it still doesn't feel real. That said, I know he has been with me every step of the way since that dreadful Sunday back in June 2011. My grandpa and I were inseparable. We would make late night ice cream runs during my childhood on LBI, we would watch football together (he was the only reason why I watched it) since I'm not a sports person. Mostly and most importantly, he introduced me timeless music.  To celebrate the great man my grandpa was and quite frankly still is, here are 10 songs that sum up his music taste and songs that I still love to listen to today. 

5. "Rock Around The Clock"- Bill Haley & His Comets (1954)

Many consider this landmark song by Bill Haley and His Comets to be the blueprint for rock n roll. However, The  Rock Hall of Fame would argue that 'Rocket 88" By  Ike Turner/Jackie Brenston would be the true winner. Regardless , this song is a masterpiece for its simplicity in its lyrics and musical composition. The song is your basic 12 bar blues along with lyrical themes of the 50s. It would make perfect sense that my grandpa would dig this tune as he graduated high school in 1952. Rock n Roll wouldn't explode on the scene for about another 2 years so he was a young buck witness history being made. Fun fact to add. Rock Around The Clock would be the opening theme for Happy Days during its 1st season run. 

4.  "I'm Gonna Hire A Wino to Decorate Our Home"- David Frizzell (1982)

I didn't discover this song until after my grandpa's passing. I was rummaging through his stuff and I came across a record titled "I'm Gonna Hire A Wino to Decorate Our Home" After listening to it, I got why he loved it. The song is performed by David Frizzell who is the younger brother of country legend Lefty Frizzell. Tired of her husband bar hoping, the narrator convinces her husband to build a bar within their home so they could save money and nurse hangovers effortlessly. It's tongue in cheek and very amusing. Despite it's silly context, still can't help but shed a tear when I hear it. 

3. "Hey Good Lookin'- Hank Williams (1951)

The King of Country music was no stranger to my grandpas repertoire. He would sing this classic while sitting at the kitchen table playing his Sudoku puzzles. When I first heard it, I thought he was being silly and was just trying to flirt with my grandmother. Turns out it was a legendary country tune. Hank Williams was dubbed 'The Hillbilly Shakespeare" which I don't find fitting. Hank knew how to craft catchy and simple songs with lyrics that truly spoke to the American people. He would go on to inspire Bob Dylan. Hank Williams passed away on New Years Day in 1953 due to alcohol poisoning  and a drug overdose. His legacy lives on.

2. 'Folsom Prison Blues" Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two (1968)

This Johnny Cash classic was a staple of my childhood.My grandpa was the ultimate Johnny Cash Superfan. He loved everything about The Man in Black and of course even loved the biopic Walk The Line starring Joaquin Phoenix. the version that was played most often was from At Folsom Prison with the iconic self-introduction from the man himself. The song became a staple for what is now considered Outlaw country. Cash would again do a live album from inside the walls of a prison. That prison being San Quentin which gave us the classic "A Boy Named Sue". Merle Haggard just so happened to be in the audience. Cash played a big influence for what was to become of the late great Merle Haggard. 

1. 'I Walk The Line"- Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two (1956)

This is the song that is forever associated with my grandpa and I. He would always hum the iconic opening guitar riff from Luther Perkins and would sing it constantly with or without the recording. It was the first Johnny Cash song I've ever heard and it made me a lifelong fan. Years later, I would visit Nashville and tour the Johnny Cash museum and I was moved to tears on how impactful Johnny Cash was and still is in Americana. I knew he was right there on the tour with me. This song and my bond with my grandpa means so much to me that I now have The song title tattooed on my left inner forearm. Now wherever I go, he follows.

Happy 88th grandpa. 88 never looked so good. 

Twice as Hard and triple badasses : The Black Crowes rock the house at Borgata Casino and Spa in Atlantic City

 31 years ago, a band from Atlanta, Georgia released their debut album Shake Your Money Maker . Critics and fans lauded the band for their musicianship and their killer sound. The best way to describe them is if Humble Pie and The Rolling Stones had a baby. That band is The Black Crowes. The Black Crowes original lineup are brothers Chris (vocals) Rich Robinson (guitar) Sven Pipen (Bass ) and Steve Gorman (Drums) respectfuly. The current lineup is Chris and Rich, Sven, and the two new current members are Isaiah Mitchell (guitar) and Brian Griffin (Drums). Regardless of the lineup, The Black Crowes tore it up last night at the Borgata Casino and Spa in Atlantic City and I was fortunate enough to be in attendance. The band is continuing to celebrate the release of their groundbreaking debut album Shake Your Money Maker with the album being played in its entirety along with the hits. Before the lights came up, the backdrop on stage was an old saloon with a glowing jukebox center stage. One of the backup singers dropped a quarter into the record machine and out blasted the blues classic "Shake Your Money Maker" by Elmore James which is where the band got the inspiration for the album title. After that, it was full throttle . The band tore through all the hits including the stomping slide guitar epic "Twice as Hard"The Rolling Stones infused "Jealous Again" and "Struttin Blues". The highlight of the night for most people  was of course "She Talks to Angels" which features some of my favorite alternative tuning guitar playing . That being said, it needs to be addressed that Rich Robinson is criminally underrated as a guitarist . He may not speak as much or be as animated as his brother, but he sure makes up for it with his chops. Just when you think  open tunings have been conquered by players like Keith Richards and Duane Allman, Rich found/finds a new way to create his own sound and leave his own musical mark. To hear "Jealous Again', "She Talks to Angels" "Sting Me" and "Remedy" live was a treat because I got to see first hand how they're really played thanks to the master that is Rich Robinson. Isaiah Mitchell is no slouch either as he provided some great slide guitar along with a killer solo on "Thorn In My Pride" which is one of my all time favorite Crowes songs. Say what you want about Chris Robinson, but his vocal range and delivery are cosmic and outstanding. He has a great stage presence, knows how to interact with the crowd and can still belt out the hits in their original key. To top all that, he is a killer harmonica player which he showcased on a instrumental breakdown during "Thorn In My Pride". The band came back out for one encore. The Black Crowes you can argue are up there among the greatest American rock n roll bands if not the best. Next time you're in town, get yourself tickets and shake your money maker. 

Get Back Jojo: Paul McCartney plays legendary show at MetLife

 The Beatles. What is there to say about those lads from Liverpool that hasn't been documented already. I first discovered their music in middle school and since then have been a lifelong fan. If you told 6th grade Ethan that he would one day see the immortal Paul McCartney in concert , I would have said you were crazy. Thankfully, that dream became a reality and one of the best concerts of my entire life when Paul McCartney took the stage at MetLife Stadium to close out his Got back tour on Thursday, June 16th. When he walked out on stage, I have never heard a more thunderous applause from any capacity audience in my entire life. Paul's musical career spans over 6 decades from his time with The Beatles, Wings and solo career. The discography of this man is monumental. To kick things off, McCartney opened with the 1964 classic "Can't buy Me Love" from A Hard Days Night. From there, it just kept getting better (pun intended). To clarify, it's mesmerizing to hear the songs of Paul McCartney played live. We have all listened to his work an abundance of times but to be in the moment while he belts out song after beloved song is surreal to say the least. Wings songs were also tackled that night including "Jet", the masterpiece "Band on The Run" and even songs like "Let Em in" and "Juniors Farm". Of course , the highlight for McCartney's solo work was when he broke into "Maybe I'm Amazed" which was written for his wife Linda who helped get out of his funk when The Beatles broke up. Paul also talked with the audience of times spent with Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and of course John Lennon and George Harrison which received a standing ovation from the crowd. McCartney then surprised the entire crowd with a very special treat when he bought Bruce Springsteen on stage to do 2 songs. They cranked out Bruce's classic "Glory Days' and did The Beatles number "I Wanna Be Your Man". The most touching moment in the show was when McCartney performed the timeless "Hey Jude". The entire crowd singing "nah nah nah, nah nah nah nahhhh!" was once in a lifetime. Paul then played a 7 encore set including "I've Got A Feeling" which featured John Lennon's isolated vocals and video footage from the famous rooftop concert. He ended the night with the beautiful melody "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End."  Paul McCartney is a living legend. He has touched so many lives with his timeless music and I'm forever blessed that I was in attendance that faithful evening.

Shine A Light: Exile On Main St at 50

 On May 12th, 1972 the worlds greatest rock n roll band The Rolling Stones released their magnum opus Exile On Main St. It's hard to believe but the album was met with mix reviews at the time of release. Rolling Stone expressed disappointment saying the albums production was muddy and overpowering as it basically drained out Jagger's vocals. Since then and rightfully so, the album has been reappraised and is considered one of the bands best albums and is constantly ranked in the top 10 rock n roll albums list. The recording for Exile On Main started as far back as 1969 in England during sessions for their previous masterpiece Sticky Fingers and recording took place at a rented villa in the south of France named Nellcote as the band was living abroad due to tax exiles. The iconic album artwork is a reflection of the bands outlaw image with the blues as their weapon and accompanied by a joyful feeling of isolation and looking into the unknown future but with a grin. Not only is the band at their peak here, they are accompanied by legendary session musicians including the immortal Nicky Hopkins, saxophonist Bobby Keys and many more. The album is a juggernaut of many musical genres that including everything from rock, blues, country and even soul. "Torn and Frayed" was inspired by Keith's close friend Gram Parsons who influenced the Stones and to make them appreciate country and Americana music. The same influence can be heard in the country rock classic "Sweet Virginia". This landmark album also included concert staples "Happy" which has Keith on main vocal and the enduring "Tumbling Dice" which for my money is Keith Richards greatest open G tuning achievement. The album is also packed with deep cuts including "I Just Want to See His Face", "All Down The Line" and "Shine a Light". There is a song for almost everyone. In cinema, it''s no secret that Martin Scorsese is die hard Rolling Stones fan and would go on to direct the epic concert film Shine A Light which took place at the Beacon Theater in NYC. What's more is that Exile On Main St is used as a critical piece  in Scorsese's Oscar winning masterpiece The Departed. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) mails his psychiatrist Madolyn Madden (Vera Farmiga) incriminating  evidence of corrupt Boston cop Collin Sullivan (Matt Damon) in a CD copy of this legendary album. Truly unique and only a master like Scorsese could pull it off. 50 Years on, this album is truly a masterpiece and the Stones were at their musical peak here. Granted, Some Girls and Tattoo You have their moments but the band truly were at their apex with Exile. 

Twenty Thousands Roads led me straight back home to you: The importance and legacy of Grahm Parsons

When we think of the genre country-rock our minds automatically go to The Eagles (early Eagles), Pure Praire League, Little Feat, Creedene Clearwater Revival, and many more. All of those bands wouldn't be household names if it wasn't for the genius of the late great Grahm Parsons. To call Grahm Parsons a trailblaizer would be an understatement. From a young age, Grahm was always an Elvis Prelsey fan and would be a crtiical role model in his musical upbrinding along with many other artists including Bakersfield sound pioneers Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. Flash forward to the year 1968. Laurel Canyon legends The Byrds were at a pivotal road block. Founding member David Crosby was on thin ice with the band thanks to his politcal rants in between the bands setlist at the Monterey Pop festival the previous year.  Crosby is soon let go and Parsons comes in full force. As mentioned, many of Grahm Parson's country influences come from Merle Haggard and Buck Owens along with saluting female country superstars Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. With Grahm at The Byrds arosnel, the band would go on to release the country-rock masterpiece Sweetheart Of The Rodeo. The album was controvrsal for the time becuase The Byrds were known for their California/folk influence so it took listners by surprise. However, over time the ablum has been hailed as the bands best work and spawned hits as the Bob Dylan covered "You Ain't Goin Nowhere" and the Parson's penned "Hickory Wind". After Grahm Parsons left The Byrds, he would form the country rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers with a then up-and-coming Bernie Leadon who would go on to be one of the founding members of The Eagles. The Flying Burrito Borthers spawned the country rock classic 'Sin City" along with a stellar cover of The Rolling Stones "Wild Horses". Speaking of The Rolling Stones, Grahm Parsons and Keith Richards had a very tight friendship and its becuase of Grahm Parsons that the Stones would go on to appreciate country music and would be the driving force and inspiration behind "Sweet Virginia", "Far Away Eyes", and "Dead Flowers". After The Flying Burrito Borthers disbanded Grahm would go on to tragically release only two critcally alcaimed solo albums GP and Grievious Angel which was released posthumously. During this time, he would form a tight friendship with the legendary Emmylou Harris who would duet with him on "Return Of The Grevious Angel" and "Love Hurts". Parson's life would be tragically cut short when he died of a drug overdose at 26. Decades after his passing , Grahm Parson's legacy continues to be celebrated and a driving force for Alt Country acts like Wilco and Ryan Adams. 

There Goes A Hero: Taylor Hawkins dead at 50

 This past weekend on Friday, March 25th, the rock commiunuty was turned on its head once again. In the past few years we have suffered many great losses in our communnity . It started with the tragic lost of David Bowie bacck in 2016 . Since then we lost Chris Cornell in 2017, Eddie Van Halen in 2020 and most recentrly Charlie Watts last year. Last Friday, we lost another innovator . Taylor Hawkins , the drummer for the Foo Fighters passed away at the age of 50. He was born Oliver Taylor Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas on February 17th, 1972. After gruadting Laguna Beach high school , he started his career playing for local Orange. county bands like Sylvia and becoming the drummer for British-born Canadian rock singer Sass Jordan. His first big break came however in 1995 when he joined Alannis Morisette as her drummer for her Jagged Little Pill until 1997. That same year, he would then join Foo Fighters where he replaced original drummer William Goldsmith. Hawkins drummer came be heard on the bands second album The Colour and The Shape and spawned classic hits like "Everlong", "My Hero" and "Monkey Wrentch" talk about a solid debut. He played on every Foo Fighters album since then including modern classics like One By One, Wasting Light and Sonic Highways which in my opinion are the bands best work. Taylor's drumming was both explsoive and fundemntal that made up the Foo Fighter's sound. From interviews and tributes, Hawkins was not only a gifted musician but his personality was contagious. His love for music was always present and he knew how to have a good time. It saddened me when I heard the news of his passing. When Tom Petty died back in 2017, the media was quck to jump to conclusions and it  wasn't proven true . Sadly, that became a reality. So it only made sense for me to be in denial about Hawkings passing. But, once again , it became reality. Hawkings was truly an amazing and charismatic drummer and a true gem that was taken from us far too soon. He was only 50. He had so much left to give this world. Fly high Taylor Hawkings . My condelences to his family, freinds and of course Dave and the band.