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Aerosmith: Rocks

Posted in Essays, Music with tags , , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2010 by jnagle4

“My favorite band is Aerosmith.”

When I hear this sentence, I cringe.  Not because I dislike Aerosmith, but because I can recite the coming exchange word for word.

“Cool.  What’s your favorite album?” I ask, knowing the answer.

“Pump.”

We have another one.  I plaster a smile on my face and then respond.

“That’s cool.  I’m partial to Rocks.”

The young Aerosmith fan gets a quizzical look on his face and asks, “What’s Rocks?”

What is Rocks?

In my younger and more vulnerable years, I lashed out at that question.  How can someone be an Aerosmith fan and not know what Rocks is?  Aerosmith’s entire reputation is based upon this record. Toys in the Attic has “Walk This Way” and “Sweet Emotion,” but Rocks is the pinnacle of the classic Aerosmith sound.  Joe Perry and Steven Tyler are at each other’s throat, but they don’t let it get in the way of the product.  They are snorting half of Peru, but the cocaine is a muse rather than a burden.  It’s the moment before the wing completely fell off the plane.

In the mid-70s, Aerosmith was reviled by the rock press for ripping off The Rolling Stones.  While The Stones’ influence is obvious, Aerosmith had two things that The Stones didn’t: Volume and Steven Tyler.  Rocks is Steven Tyler’s coronation as one of the definitive frontmen of the 1970s.  He showed charisma on the early Aerosmith records, but when he hits the first note of “Back in the Saddle,” he sheds his skin as a Jagger clone.  Robert Plant could scream, but his screams were more sensual.    He would have sex with random groupies sure, but he would treat them like ladies.  Tyler has no time for such pleasantries.  He needs to evacuate some liquid kids, and he needs to do it right now. He could seduce, but the result is always the same.

While Tyler howls, Joe Perry provides the sweet talk.  His guitar slithers and slides, drawing the listener in with every hot lick.  Many guitar heroes were able to do this, but the volume and the assistance of Brad Whitford gave Aerosmith their metallic edge.

Aerosmith’s sound is the key to their success, but the lyrics keep Rocks grounded in reality.. A year had passed since Toys in the Attic and Aerosmith was now one of the biggest bands in the world.   Their music was blasting from every Trans-Am in America.  It should have been an album of supreme triumph, but it isn’t.  Tyler sums it up in one of the most overlooked lyrics in the history of rock n’ roll:

“Walkin’ on Gucci wearing Yves St. Laurent/They barely stay on ‘cause I’m so goddamn gaunt.”

Tyler delivers the lyric with just the right amount of exhaustion.  Many bands who tried to copy the formula forgot that Aerosmith doesn’t glorify the lifestyle.  For every “Last Child,” there is “Sick as a Dog,” in which the Toxic Twins completely withdrawal.  Rocks depicts the rock n’ roll lifestyle, warts and all.

Aerosmith would self-destruct after 1978’s Draw the Line.  Joe Perry and Brad Whitford left the band, while Tyler kept Aerosmith going.  When the original lineup reformed in the mid-80s, the raunch was still there, but the consequences weren’t.  Harrowing tales of the road were replaced by living it up while going down.  Rocks is not that record.  If you are hearing it for the first time, you will need to take a shower afterwards.  Trust me.

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Public Relations

Posted in Essays with tags , , , , , , on July 27, 2010 by jnagle4

Photo Credit: AMC

Who is Don Draper?

Don has been asked this question dozens of times over the course of the series, so he gives the reporter the same oblique answers he’s given everyone else.  He looks him dead in the eye, takes a couple seductive drags on his cigarette and waits for the reporter to bask in the glow of mystery.

When the article comes out a few days later, he finds out that the reporter hasn’t fallen for his ruse.  Instead of coming off like a suave man of mystery, he seems aloof and arrogant.  His colleagues at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce are appalled, chiding him for wasting an opportunity to promote their still fledgling firm.  A client calls and cancels his account, upset that Draper didn’t mention his business.  Don is baffled.  Even when his personal life was in shambles, he was always in control of his professional destiny.

Mad Men’s fourth season opens in November of 1964.  The ‘60s as we know them are finally coming into view.  The colors are a bit brighter, the world is a bit faster and the young people are staking out their place in the world.  Don Draper is desperately trying to hold onto his. He is feeling more like Dick Whitman than the master of the universe he created out of thin air.

In a lesser show, the viewer would be blasted with obvious symbolism and long expository speeches about Don’s adjustment to life without Betty and the kids.  Instead, Draper looks at himself in the mirror while preparing for his date.  He runs his fingers through his meticulously Brylcreemed hair, as if he is trying to summon the Draper of old.  The date goes reasonably well, but it’s clear that the girl isn’t under Draper’s spell.  This is an entirely new experience for him, as women have been dropping their panties from the moment the series began.

In the car, Draper turns on the charm and the woman turns him down.  He gives his address to the cabbie in a state of disbelief.  On Thanksgiving Day, he hires a prostitute for company.  Unlike his other sexual encounters, this was desperate.  He seemed totally out of control, meekly asking her if she could slap him.  He is in the same place Roger Sterling was before he married Jane.

At the end of the episode, as Don was giving his punched-up biography to the reporter from The Wall Street Journal, he talks the talk, but the conviction isn’t quite there.  He got to where he is by not saying anything, and now he must reveal everything.  The era of mystique has come and gone.  The strong silent type is fading into history, being replaced by brash young punks who pour Pepsi in their breakfast cereal.  Draper is adapting for now, but he won’t be able to keep the charade for much longer.

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Budokan!

Posted in Essays, Music with tags , , , , , , , on July 15, 2010 by jnagle4

Cheap Trick’s At Budokan has one of the greatest album covers in the history of rock n’ roll.  Lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Peterson are standing next to each other, grinning from ear to ear.  They are smiling the type of smiles that only come once or twice in a lifetime.   They aren’t smiling out of cockiness or arrogance, but because they can’t believe their luck.   If At Budokan was just a picture on a piece of cardboard, it would still be one of the greatest albums ever made.

At Budokan was released during the golden age of the live record.  Kiss and Peter Frampton had strong followings before they released Alive and Frampton Comes Alive, but the success of those two records made them stadium rock demi-gods.  Cheap Trick was in the same situation that Kiss and Frampton were in two years earlier, except they were full blown teen idols in Japan.  To capitalize on their success in the Far East, Epic Records recorded their sold out gig at the legendary Budokan sumo arena and released it for the Japanese market.

The album was released in Japan in October of 1978.  The raw sound created a buzz in the United States, and At Budokan became a strong seller on the import market.  Epic noticed this and released it stateside in 1979.  After years of critical acclaim but little commercial success, Cheap Trick became the rock stars they deserved to be.

At Budokan stands in sharp contrast to the bloated live albums of the late ‘70s, which were bogged down by endless drum solos, rambling banter and “extended” versions.  At Budokan contains only ten tracks.  With such an abbreviated setlist, Cheap Trick had no time for frivolity or error.  They come crashing out the gate with “Hello There” and rarely give the listener a chance to breathe.

The dynamic between hard and soft is the basis of Cheap Trick’s sound.  Guitarist Rick Nielsen goes for the jugular, banging out power-chords at a dizzying pace.  He embellishes the garage rock simplicity with bombastic bursts of soloing. The solos only last for a few bars, hinting at the virtuosity spewing beneath his trademark baseball cap.  Bassist Tom Peterson and Bun E. Carlos work behind Neilson, creating a steady rhythm section.  Carlos’ drumming is directly influenced by The British Invasion, simple but swinging.  Peterson’s bass is the melodic texture, melding with Neilson’s guitar to create a richer sound.

While Nielsen, Petersen and Carlos provide the power and the rhythm, Robin Zander adds the melody.  Although Zander is from Illinois, his voice is straight out of the British Invasion.  Zander has the ability to make every chorus sound huge.  He never screams or embellishes, but he has an innate sense of pitch.  He never gets out of breath or misses a note.  He makes being a frontman look like the easiest job on earth.

The setlist is all killer, no filler.  It’s exhilarating to hear “Come On, Come On” followed by “Lookout” followed by “Big Eyes.”

The atmosphere drives the album over the top.   The moment the album begins, the listener is greeted with the orgasmic screams of several thousand Japanese schoolgirls, who react to every single thing the band does.  Robin Zander sounds like a kindergarten teacher as he slowly introduces the band’s latest single, a little ditty called “Surrender.”

My favorite part of At Budokan is towards the end.  The band is tearing through “Clock Strikes Ten,” and Bun E. Carlos starts playing a brief solo.  After he pounds out a few beats, Zander introduces him, “ON THE DRUMS! MR. BUN E. CARLOS!”  Carlos follows the intro with a spectacular drum roll while the girls scream with glee.  I never get tired of hearing it.  There is such joy in those screams.

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Insubordination Fest: Day 2

Posted in Essays, Music, Reviews with tags , , , , , , , , on June 30, 2010 by jnagle4

When I woke up on Saturday morning, it took me a while to process the day ahead.  Eleven hours at Sonar.  I took a deep breath, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and rolled out of bed.  I was drained from the night before, and I’d only gotten my feet wet.   I arrived at Sonar a little after 1:00.  I ran into a couple I met during the Flamingo Nosebleeds’ set.  They were eating pizza and drinking Slurpees with the same glazed look I had.  The girl had only gotten three hours of sleep and blisters on her feet.  She took one last slurp and then went inside.

The setup remained the same as the night before, except the hamburger stand moved into the alley.  The only way to get to the alley was through the back of the lounge, which was up three steps.  A security guard had to get my food.  This was a minor hiccup, but it was slightly annoying.  They should have had one stand inside and one in the alley.  The burger was decent; hot and fresh with melty cheese.

Before we get to the music, I have a confession to make.  After the Beatnik Termites’ set, I went to the lounge to see Deep Sleep.  I went to a vacant corner of the bar, where I promptly fell asleep.  I woke up to a middle-aged woman offering me a brownie.   It was delicious…I think. Thank you.

I moved around more on the second day trying to see as many bands as I could.  Here are the ones that made the biggest impression.

  • The Beatnik Termites: The Beatnik Termites are technically a punk band, but not really.  Electric doo-wop would be a much better term.  Simple songs about the joys and fears of teenage romance played at maximum decibels.  Their set was a ton of fun.
  • Zapoteks: These guys weren’t on my radar until I met the drummer backstage.   We had a conversation about cricket.  I still have no idea how to play it.  It’s interesting to note that most bands on the bill had a distinctly American sound and sensibility.  The Zapoteks were British, and they sounded like it.  The riffs weren’t slow, but they weren’t delivered in a rapid fire pace either.  The singer had a Cockney affectation, and they whooped like a pack of soccer hooligans.  It was a nice change of pace.
  • Blacklist Royals: Fast tempo + big choruses + ‘50s retro vibes = Awesome band.
  • Teenage Bottlerocket: The first headlining band of the evening.  Teenage Bottlerocket were four superballs let loose.  They jumped, ran and hit their guitars with a childlike zeal.  The crowd responded by slam dancing and stage diving..  Kids ran up onstage and dove into a pulsing sea of humanity.  It got dicey a few times, but nobody got hurt. When the band and crowd are feeding off each other, it always creates magic.
  • The Smoking Popes: The crowd was drained after Teenage Bottlerocket, so it took a little while for them to warm up to the Popes, but the more relaxed atmosphere suited the band.  One of the things that I admired about their set was how unpretentious it was.  They got onstage and they played their songs.  Again, there was no disconnect between the band and their audience.
  • Less Than Jake: The headliners.  Less Than Jake are really good at what they do.  They have fun songs and tons of energy.  However, my tolerance for ska is limited, especially when I am exhausted.  I stayed for half their set and decided to beat the crowd.  They brought it though, and they are worth seeing live.  I would have enjoyed it more if it wasn’t 1:00 in the morning.

Overall Thoughts: The main thing I took away from Insubordination Fest was the feeling of community.  Everyone was there to have good time and support each other, which is the complete opposite of the average corporate rock fest.  If you are a fan of punk rock and have never experienced it, grab a couple friends and be prepared to mosh.

Author’s note: I would like to personally thank Chris Thacker of Insubordination Records for hooking me up with VIP passes.

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Bryan Danielson, We Hardly Knew Ye

Posted in Essays with tags , , , , , , , , on June 14, 2010 by jnagle4

Yesterday afternoon, I was proofreading the first positive essay about modern professional wrestling that I had ever written.  In it, I lauded the WWE for their brilliant handling of the WWE-NXT Invasion.  For the first time in ages, I sat agog as the rookies systematically destroyed the Monday Night Raw set and annihilated John Cena.  I completely suspended disbelief and couldn’t wait for next week.

On Friday night, WWE.com reported that NXT leader Bryan Danielson had been released from the company.  I thought it was kayfabe, so I didn’t think anything of it.  My friend Brandon messaged me on Facebook about it, and I told him to watch the show on Monday.  I finished writing my essay and went to 411Mania.com to see if any new developments had sprung up.  I found out that Danielson had been fired for real.

Apparently, Danielson had gone above and beyond the WWE’s new PG rating when he choked the ring announcer with his tie and spat on John Cena.  Allow me to put this in perspective.   Aggravated assault with a sledgehammer is fine, but a logical gesture of hatred sends the sponsors running.  Professional wrestling has to have some violence, or else the inherent conflict between good and evil is pointless.  Danielson was not choking Justin Roberts for no reason.  His character was unhappy with his spot and was willing to do anything to get the attention of the front office.   Spitting on Cena was the exclamation point.

It worked.  For the first time since Cena was anointed the WWE’s top hero, he seemed vulnerable.  The vulnerability of the hero is the most crucial element of a wrestling angle.  If you don’t believe the babyface is in danger, you have no reason to see the heel get his comeuppance.  Even if you didn’t like John Cena, you had to feel some sympathy for him.  Why throw all that heat away?

I don’t think the PG rating is a bad thing.  I grew up in the days of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage.  Chair shots were rarely used, sledgehammers were non-existent and nobody ever went through a table.  On the rare occasion they used “violence,” it was to escalate an angle.   This sporadic use of violence was the catalyst for my fandom.  Sgt. Slaughter attacked Hulk Hogan, locking him in the Camel Clutch while General Adnan waved an Iraqi battle flag in his face.  It was completely believable.

By firing Danielson, the WWE has cut the legs of its most interesting angle in years.  They have also fired an extremely charismatic performer who has a moveset beyond the WWE style.  This is Vince McMahon’s biggest blunder since the WCW invasion a decade ago.  I would have paid an obscene amount of money to see Cena clash with Danielson, and now it looks like I’ll be skipping Raw again.

If McMahon were reading this humble little essay, he’d probably give me his tired spiel about how the WWE is in the entertainment business and not the ‘rasslin business.  This may be true, but the hardcore wrestling fans built your entertainment business.  We were there in the fallow period of 1995-96, when your “superstars” struggled to fill 1500 seat arenas.  We were there after the death of Eddie Guererro and after the Benoit tragedy.  We have endured countless insults, but we remained because we love the artform.  You might not need us right now McMahon.  You have the little kids in their Rey Mysterio masks and John Cena dogtags.  But one day, those kids are going to grow up.  You can belittle the hardcore fans all you want, but you can’t afford to lose us.

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