GMVW # 45: "Another World"

Gem Music Video of the Week # 45:  Another World

Song:  Freddie’s Dead by Curtis Mayfield

(Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield)

November 13, 2008

For one summer during my college years in the early 80’s, I had a job making the smaller deliveries for a trucking company out of South Boston.  Dad and I stripped the seats out of the Chevy van (the one with the orange Hampton Beach ‘Blob Squad’ sticker on the back door), and I used the ample space to load a wide range of cargo for delivery to a wide range of locales.  My delivery area was primarily downtown Boston and points south.  I became familiar with the entire city in those days, including the lesser known sections of Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Dorchester and Roxbury.  At times I had to deliver in some pretty tough neighborhoods, yet as the summer progressed, I never ran into problems.  On the contrary, folks were always helpful when I needed assistance finding a street or an address. 

A number of the deliveries were to record stores.  Back in the early 80’s, most record stores were small and privately owned (the Strawberries chain being an exception).  It was great delivering to these places.  They all had their own style and musical emphasis.  I would often spend a little extra time looking through the albums and occasionally making a purchase.  In hindsight, I was laying witness to a soon-to-be extinct breed of independent and eccentric music stores which were at the time the primary outlets for old and new records. 

One of these routine stops was to an all black R&B music store on

Washington Street

in Roxbury.  The store was located under the old elevated orange line.  It was one of those tough neighborhoods and also tough to find a parking spot.  I often had to park on a side street and dolly the delivery a block or so.  One particular week near the end of the summer, I was in the store waiting for the owner to sign off on the delivery when another delivery guy ran in and told me my van was being broken into.  I sprinted outside and down the side street where I spied the rear van door forced open and several boxes missing.  I looked around for a moment and then ran further down the street in search of the perpetrator.  It did not take long:  Several homes down, I found a guy sitting on a stack of boxed albums on a porch at the top of a set of stairs.  I walked up to him and demanded my cargo back.  He stayed seated on the boxes and we stared at each other for a few moments. Finally he stood up but loomed over me as I picked up the stack and walked away.  I’m sure he was contemplating his options.  Lucky for me, he chose the right one (later, when I told Dad about the day’s events, he stopped me at the part about the confrontation, poured a double scotch, drank a sample, and then allowed me to finish the story).

The memory of the event stuck with me for some time.  What I remembered mostly was the look on the guys face when I demanded the property back:  It was a look of desperation and guilt.  I have also since reflected on the likelihood that my encounter was with someone who to that point had an entirely different life experience than I.  Other than my job that summer, my only insight into his world was my reading Eliott Liebow’s “Tally’s Corner”, watching a few movies about gang violence, and frequenting the Western Front in Cambridge.  For the most part his life was foreign to me.  For a moment though, and in a very unusual way, I had made a connection. It opened my eyes somewhat to the unique struggles of inner city black America. 

I’ve been sitting on this week’s gem selection for a while, so when Dave broached the subject of urban plight last week, I figured it was as good a time as any to toss it out.  The song, ‘Freddie’s Dead’ by Curtis Mayfield, is from the Gordon Parks Jr. movie, Superfly.  Curtis Mayfield performed all the songs for the soundtrack.  The movie itself does not stand up to the meaning and depth of Mayfield’s songs on the soundtrack, which are songs of despair regarding the drug culture of urban black America in the mid-70’s (the movie somewhat glorified it).  Mayfield was an uncommon singing voice in America at the time (along with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder), crying out against the crime and violence happening in the inner city.  The song itself is about an easily-manipulated but good-willed guy who finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

In 1990, Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down when stage lighting crashed down on him during an outdoor concert in Brooklyn.  It was a tragic end to the career of a man Bob Dylan has referred to as ‘One of the Greats’.

“Everybody’s misused him; ripped him up and abused him”

- Pete

Gem Music Video: Freddie’s Dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9nwcpGZE6A

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About the Video:  Live in studio, starts with a close up of Mayfield plucking at his guitar

Video Rating: 1

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Best Feedback: Becca

Excellent choice...one of my old favorites...until now I'd only ever heard the studio recording.

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And: Steve

Great story Pete.

Ever thought of writing a book?

I turn 47 on Monday. Isn't life amazing!

Cheers

Steve

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And: Fred

I have never heard that song but certainly am close to the title....that was used against me (in jest) for many years.

 I also remember when you had that delivery route.  Pretty crazy stuff...but I also remember you were the first to see the new Who Album (was it Eminence Front?)

GMVW # 44: "Home is where the Heart Is"

Gem Music Video of the Week # 44:  Home is where the Heart Is

Song:  Philadelphia Freedom by Elton John

(Songwriters Bernie Taupin and Elton John)

November 6, 2008

Ending a business trip to South Carolina last Thursday, I found myself in another nightmare of a commute home.  On the tarmac and ready to go, the pilot reported that one of the engines was not working.  The plane returned to the terminal and everyone got off.  It was strongly suggested that we all look for alternative flights.  The best option for me was a 4 hour layover in Philadelphia, which would get me home after midnight.  Yahoo!  Accepting my fate, I begrudgingly took the ticket.  Several hours later, the plane landed in the City of Brotherly Love, and I found myself with 4 hours to kill.

Philadelphia.  It was not long before I realized I was in a city that had just the night before experienced its first sporting event championship in 25 years.  The Phillies were World Champs, and the atmosphere of victory was palpable.  A ticket agent yelled out something about the Phillies that got cheers.  Winning tee-shirts were being worn all around.  Local newspapers were completely sold out.  News programs on the TV were dominated with the celebration. I thought any moment The Music Man would come marching around the corner with a crowd in his wake. 

This championship was huge for this city, not the least of reasons being Boston.  Boston and Philly have always had a steady sports rivalry.  Both East Coast cities have a team in all 4 major sports, and Philadelphia could not take much more of Boston’s winning ways.  In years past, it was always just a matter of time before Philly reacted to a Boston championship:  The Broad Street Bullies (Flyers) began winning in the mid-70’s, soon after the Big Bad Bruins hoisted a few Stanley Cups; Dr. J, Moses Malone and the 76ers (“4, 4, 4!”) reacted to Larry Bird’s first championship with the Celtics (Malone’s declaration of 3 playoff sweeps actually sounded more like “Fo, Fo, Fo”); and the Philadelphia Eagles stepped up their game just enough to be the Patriots 3rd Super Bowl conquest several years ago.  So, with last week’s championship, kudos to the Phillies, but their fans must keep in mind, if it was the Sox they were facing (especially with Manny), it would have been another year of waiting. 

Anyhow, the excitement got me thinking about regional pride and songs about places.  There are so many great songs about cities, states, and countries.  Longtime friend Phil had many of them ready in the wings when we were kids playing Monopoly.  If he owned Indiana Ave and you landed on it, Phil would break out into song: "Indiana wants me, Lord I can't go back there".  If you landed on his Kentucky Ave property, it was "My Old Kentucky Home", Tennessee Ave would result in the 'Tennessee Waltz'.  Many others I have long since blocked out.

When Joe moved to San Francisco for a few years, I had no problem finding a slew of songs about that city, and put them on tape for his listening pleasure.  Bob Dylan, who DJs the fantastic ‘Theme Time Radio Hour’ program on XM radio’s Deep Cuts, did a show on California last year, and the songs he played and discussed were varied and memorable.  Among the list were  Al  Jolson’s ‘California Hear I Come’; Joni Mitchell’s ‘California’; Pierce Webb’s ‘California Blues’; Geraint Watkins with ‘Go West’; Dionne Warwick singing ‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose’; Sir Douglas Quartet’s ‘Mendocino’; Jesse Fuller’s ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’; and Dorothy Shay singing ‘I’ve Been to Hollywood’. 

As for Philadelphia, the city has 3 great songs that come immediately to mind: Neil Young’s ‘Philadelphia’; Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Philadelphia’, and this week’s Gem, Elton John’s ‘Philadelphia Freedom’.  The song was written by Bernie Taupin in 1975, and is at least partially a tribute to this country and its then 200th Anniversary (Philadelphia being one of the central cities to our Independence).  Other interpretations of the song are as a tribute to Billie Jean King and the professional tennis team she formed (Philadelphia Freedom), as well as Elton John’s sexual orientation.  Regardless of the meaning, there is no denying the pop strength of this song.   The song is also appropriate for the mood in Philadelphia over the past few days: A city with a large black population and a city that voted 84% (the full range of ethnicities) for Obama.  Enjoy the flashback to mid-70’s Soul Train and crank it up!

Gem Music Video: Philadelphia Freedom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkMXnk16kiE

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About the Video: mid-70’s Soul Train

Video Rating: 2

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Best Feedback:  Amy

Pete!  Another Gem - another Friday - they go hand in hand for me now.I sent this one off to Julie Snell, who went off to college w/ a full scholarship to Tyler School of Art in Philly - fell in love, and never came home!  She now works for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in charge of Philly's gardens all over the city.
xoA

GMVW # 43: "Guitar and Pen: A Who Review"

Gem Music Video of the Week # 43:  Guitar and Pen: A Who Review

Song:  Baba O’Riley by The Who

(Songwriter: Pete Townshend)

October 30, 2008

I’ve always wanted to do a concert review, so here goes…..

Last Friday nite I went to see the Who at the Boston Garden with cousin Becca, Mac, and Pete Callahan.  I’ve seen plenty of Who shows over the years, so in terms of witnessing something new, this I no longer expect.  I now go to these shows to simply take in whatever is tossed my way.  On this nite, as with all previous shows over the years, I was not disappointed.  The Who continued to do what they do best: A live event that hits the ground running and that does not stop until all energy has been sufficiently tapped. 

For the 3rd time, I attended a Who show expecting it would be my last (which will one day be the Who’s choice, not mine).  This has been the case ever since John Entwistle died.  The original 4-piece band has been whittled down to ‘The Two’.  For the first time since that 2002 post-Entwistle tour, however, the entire six-piece ensemble on stage was on equal footing.  Where the last two tours, the Who were presented as Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, along with a supporting cast, this time everyone was front and center (including John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick on keyboards, Zak Starkey on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, and brother Simon Townshend on rhythm guitar), and all rose to the honor. 

As with most Who shows, a bulk of the music on this nite came from 4 distinct periods in Who history: The early years, ‘Tommy’, ‘Who’s Next’, and ‘Quadrophenia’.  I always hope to hear more songs from albums like ‘Who By Numbers’, ‘Who Are You’, and even ‘Face Dances’, which does happen, but infrequently.  Townshend and Daltrey seem to be convinced that the crowd is looking for songs from these 4 periods, and so I accept that and take in these great songs that I have witnessed so often, while enjoying the occasional surprise. 

We settled into our seats, which was the best vantage point I’ve had at any Who show (a stone’s throw from Townshend’s side of the stage… thanks Mac!).  The warm up band, ‘Inward Eye’ wrapped up their set (a young hard-rock brother trio from Winnipeg Manitoba) and then the Who took the stage.  Here’s a run through the set list, along with commentary and snippets of some of the best lyrics from each song:

I Can’t Explain:  It’s amazing that the band’s first single (1965) could still be such a superb rock song to hear live.  It was clear Zak Starkey was going to have a good nite:  “Dizzy in the head and I’m feeling bad”.

The Seeker:  A single from the early 70’s.  I thought of my brother Joe, who loves this song.  It was clear Roger Daltrey was going to have a good nite:  “I asked Bobby Dylan, I asked the Beatles, I asked Timothy Leary, but he couldn’t help me either”.

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere: Another early single.  Townshend played a little feedback near the end of the song, and it was clear he was going to have a good nite:  “I get along anyway out there, Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere…….”

Fragments:  A song from their 2005 Endless Wire album: Lot’s of synthesizer. 

Well done. “Are we breathing out or breathing in”.

Who Are You: This song is about an encounter Townshend had with 2 members of the ‘Sex Pistols’ at a bar in New York.  Towshend lashed out at them after they stated they enjoyed the Who’s music (he wanted them to rebel against it).  I thought of Dad, who gets a kick out of this song.  It’s always very well performed, as it was this nite: “Eleven Hours in the Tin Pan, God there’s got to be another way!”

Behind Blue Eyes:  Off of ‘Who’s Next’.  All 4 original members of the Who had blue eyes, which is not solely what this song is about, but intriguing when you listen to the lyrics.  One of the best performances of the night:  “And if I swallow anything evil, put your finger down my throat”.

Real Good Looking Boy: I recalled listening to this song for the first time in a small music store in downtown Baltimore 3 years ago.  First new Who song in many a year.  It hit me like a ton of bricks (both then and now): “Wise men say, only fools, only fools rush in”.

Baba O’Riley:  This song doesn’t really belong to the Who anymore… along with “Won’t Get Fooled Again” it belongs to these times, and was once more brilliantly performed:  “Don’t cry, don’t raise your eye…”

Gettin in Tune:  The first surprise of the night, a deep cut off the ‘Who’s Next’ album.  One of several songs Townshend has written about how he writes music (the other that comes to mind is ‘Guitar and Pen’):  “I’m getting a little tired of having to say do you come here often”

Eminence Front:  Always an appropriate song to play (about people ignoring their problems and putting up a front).  Townshend’s one contribution of the evening as lead vocalist: “Won’t you come and join the party dressed to kill”

Sister Disco: The second surprise song of the nite and one of my all time favorites, about a fictional character,  ‘Disco’ dying on a hospital bed and ‘Rock’ faithfully sitting by the bedside.  Townshend plucked away expertly at the acoustic guitar closing notes (which has always suggested to me that good music will carry on). “Goodbye, goodbye Sister Disco, now I go, I go where the music fits my soul.  And I, I will never let go, I’ll never let go, ‘Til the echo of the street fight has dissolved”.

Sea and Sand: Start of a 3-song Quadrophenia set, encapsulating this concept album.  “My Dad couldn’t stand on 2 feet, as he lectured about morality”

5:15: Zak again played phenomenally on the drums.  The song is about strange happenings on the London commuter rail: “Sadly ecstatic that their heroes are news”.

Love Reign O’er Me:  Daltrey belted this one out without a hitch: “On a dry and dusty road, the nite’s we spend apart alone, I need to get back home to cool, cool rain!”

My Generation:  Pino Palladino’s bass lines would have done Entwistle proud.  It’s the only song where Towshend always appears embarrassed to perform live:  “People try to put us down, just because we get around”

Won’t Get Fooled Again:  I thought of the Who’s performance of this song at the Concert for New York (after 911).  The Who stole that show with their set that nite, particularly with this song:  “I move myself and my family aside if we happen to be left half alive”.

Pinball Wizard:  Start of a 3-song ‘Tommy’ set.  Townshend no longer looks for Entwistle to blast the opening bass line.  “Ever since I was a young boy, I played the silver ball, from Soho down to Brighton, I must have played them all”

Amazing Journey:  Some experimenting with a jam session, leading into Sparks.  Very well done.  “Sickness will surely take the mind where minds can’t usually go”.

Sparks: …..Zak again!  Wow!  Thought it was Moon.  No lyrics here (all instrumental).  Townshend looked all of his younger Woodstock-days self on guitar: The Bird Man in action.

See Me Feel Me:  I longed for the Entwistle backing vocals to kick in like they used to….not to be.  I sang them myself as best I could.  Still a great song to hear live, though:  “Listening to You, I get the Music”

Tea and Theatre:  Off the ‘Endless Wire’ album: A melancholy reflective song, which seems to be at least partially about the 2 surviving members of the Who.  Daltrey holds a cup of tea in his hand: “Will you have some tea, after theatre with me?”

It was a great show and was enjoyed with some great company.  Since no Gem music video list should go without Baba O’Riley, I take the opportunity to present it here as this week’s Gem.  The footage is from the last live show Keith Moon played with the Who (1978).  I’ve also included the same song showing the Who at the Concert for New York in 2001, which was the last live event Enwistle performed with the Who.  Finally, I’ve included a great tribute to the Who from Adam Sandler at this year’s VH1 Rock Honors the Who show.

- Pete

Gem Video: Baba O’riley. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUBTX9kKEo

Concert for NY version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG_uDDEnzC4

Adam Sandler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-amJe_ee7pI&feature=related

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About the video:  clip from the Kid’s Are Alright movie

Video Rating: 1

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Best Feedback: Joe

Pete will never forget who got him his first Who Album.  I think it was Pete's birthday some time in the late 70's...I was probably in Framingham at Strawberry's where I stopped many times up thru High School to build up a huge music collection...Warren Zevon, Clash, Joe Jackson, the Police, Talking Heads, AC/DC, U2, Bruce Springsteen, and many more were in my growing collection.  After an 8 Keg Party my freshman year at BC in my apartment in

Cleveland Circle

, my great collection disappeared...I suspect some Brighton thugs who crashed the party...I will never know.  Anyways - I had no idea the monster I created when I got Pete his first Who album.  The Monster lives on....or maybe it's the Monster in my pants that does a nasty dance.

Joe

GMVW # 42: "Seeing the Forest for the Trees"

Gem Music Video of the Week # 42:  Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Song: If a Tree Falls by Bruce Cockburn

(Songwriter Bruce Cockburn)

October 23, 2008

The Environment:  After faith, family, and friendship, it’s what drives me the most.  It drives what I do for work, and to varying degrees what I purchase, where I volunteer, home and yard improvements and several of my magazine subscriptions.  It factors into the family’s choices for vacation destinations and other recreational activities.  Unfortunately, it also has to weigh in to how I vote.  It does not, however, drive my choice of Gem Video. Great music drives that, and if the music is pulling me to this heavy subject, so be it. 

There have been a number of well-meaning musicians over the years who have tried writing good music about their concerns for the environment.  Few have succeeded.  This Gem is the rare environmental song that has hit home with me on all levels:  Bruce Cockburn’s ‘If a Tree Falls’.  The song is about the destruction of vast tracts of the world’s rain forests, and the common use of the charred land for pasture, allowing cheap meat to be processed for bulk sales to fast food chains and other quick eats locales.

Before the most recent of global environmental concerns, climate change, the big ticket item for me was rain forest destruction.  The problem has not really gone away, it’s just been trumped.  Since the rain forests are so diverse and complex, many biologists feel that there is so much we will never know about what has already been lost, which makes it a bit tougher of a pill to swallow than some of the other environmental crisis.  It’s been a tragedy on many levels. 

Although not completely unexplainable, I have always struggled to understand why the environment has become such a hot political subject in the last 20 years. After all, two of our most important environmental legislative bills, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, had significant development under the Nixon administration.  The most recent debate on whether or not climate change is being accelerated by human activities is a perfect example of how the environment has been politicized.  Since a vast majority of the worlds scientists believe human activity is a big factor in climate change, my question to the doubters is this:  What would it take to be convinced? 2 ice-free arctic shipping lanes? 3? 30 seasonal hurricanes?  40? Total loss of glacial ice in Glacier National Park? An Antarctic Ice Shelf calving the size of Rhode Island?  Connecticut?  Armadillos in the back yard? 95% scientific agreement that there is a significant human influence? 100%?  We don’t even have that yet for debate on the earth’s shape (spherical vs. flat).  If you are waiting for Rush to admit there’s a problem, don’t hold your breath.  He’s in too deep.  I do sense a positive change, however, in the political atmosphere. Hopefully it’s here to last.  I also sense a positive change in the American public, many of whom are realizing that bigger is not necessarily better.

As for my strong beliefs on these subjects, I have Dad to thank for sowing the seeds.  Dad always pointed out the natural wonders, small and large, on our hikes and journeys.  Dad also paid my initial membership fee to Greenpeace back in the mid-70’s.  At the same time he was subscribing Fred to the Wall Street Journal.  Perhaps Dad had a bit of the Irish in him with these decisions:  Like sending one son to the priesthood and the military.  More likely, he was simply recognizing his two son’s interests and inclinations.  In both cases, he nailed it. 

I’ll end this by making a plug for Cousin Tina Toran, who is doing her part to help the environment.  Check out her web site at: http://wavyo.com

- Pete

Gem Video “If a Tree Falls”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8CibAuvZM4

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About the video: Made for MTV type video (though rarely shown)

Video Rating: 1

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Best Feedback: Tina

oh pete, you really are so so so generous. thank you for calling attention to our site, more importantly,  i love the piece about your dad, and your gift subscriptions. again, thank you so much,

love tina

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And: Andrea

Dear Pete,

Tina forwarded your Gem Music Video of the week to all of her sisters and I just want to thank you for what you wrote, how passionate you are about life, faith, family and music. Your words, and you in particular, are an inspiration to me, how you and Nancy live your lives and more importantly how you incorporate love, faith, friends and family so seamlessly into your everyday existence.  Each and every time, without fail, when I am with any member of the Steeves family, I leave where ever I am, smiling and happy, grateful that I am related to such wonderful, fun people.  Your siblings have very diverse interests, views and jobs, but you are connected by threads of love, beginning with your amazing parents and kept alive by you, your brothers, sisters and spouses. My sisters and I have the same connections as you, although, I have to admit there is more crazy in the Toran family than the Steeves, but tons of love and respect of one another.   I can speak for the Toran sisters in its entirety, when I say that we are madly in love with our Steeves cousins and are grateful that cranky Jerry and fun Fred had our parents, so they could have us. 

Have a great weekend and keep up the good work, you are a fantastic writer!

With love and admiration, your favorite cousin, Andrea

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And: Jack

Oh boy, nobody is going to respond to this one! :-) 

I'll give the quick and dirty here.  First of all, I am what you might call a Teddy Roosevelt conservationist, so I stand hand in hand with you on a vast number of environmental issues both domestically as well as internationally.  I would sum up the great divide in this way. 

The environmental movement has become much like the perverbial town drunk who attends the baptist church every week.  It isn't the movement itself, but rather the spokespeople for the movement who are either unqualified on a number of levels...or profiteers who use the movement for their own personal benefit,,,or simply due to crazy people who are operating on a different plane of reality...one particular politician comes to mind.  Hysteria doesn't resonate with people and eventually drowns out the positive changes for the better folks like yourself are trying to make.  In short, the movement has been highjacked to some degree.   

Unfortunately Pete, human nature dictates that man's passions are more often than not superseded by his drive for cold hard cash, (The love of money is the root to all kinds of evil),...and after all is said and done, countries often succumb to the temptation...which is why China, Russia and India are among the worst polluters in the world and getting worse.  From the viewpoint of economies of scale, THAT is going to be the worlds biggest challenge in the years to come...the big three over in Asia.  We're working on it...perhaps not as fast as we'd like, but in a measured way so as not to disrupt the economy any more than it is.  Just my 25 cents. 

-Jack

GMVW # 41: "A Rolling Stone Gathers Moss"

Gem Music Video of the Week # 41:  A Rolling Stone Gathers Moss

Song:  Waiting on a Friend by The Rolling Stones

(Songwriters: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards)

October 16, 2008

It’s always interesting to talk to a true fan of any musician/band:  Someone who never misses that band’s tours and has most of their albums.  I’m not talking necessarily about a person who collects memorabilia, constantly blogs, or attends band-centric conventions (which can be signs of a fan crossing over to collector, entrepreneur, or fanatic).  I’m talking about someone who really knows that bands music, say 3-5 albums by heart and a few others close enough.  In these cases you are usually bound to get some fascinating tidbits of information. 

Yet some fan bases are harder than others to feel kinship with for a variety of reasons.  For example, as with the man himself, Dylan enthusiasts are a complex bunch, which makes being a Dylan fan, for the most part, a solo experience. The Beatles fan base….too large and too diluted.  With so much written about them, it’s hard to come up with a new twist on the Fab Four.  As for the Who, it can be fun talking to a fellow fan, but many times I find myself repeating old subject matter. 

Rolling Stones fans:  Now you’re talking!  When I meet a Stones fan who can offer insight into a variety of topics from ‘Beggars Banquet’ to Mick Taylor’s lead guitar playing to ‘Exile on Main Street’ to the bands longevity to Brian Jones exotic instrument playing to ‘Between the Buttons’ to the supporting cast of musicians on stage and on albums to the early years to musical influences to ‘Goat Head’s Soup’ and on and on, I feel like I’m in good company.  A Rolling Stones fan can be equated with someone who gets it with Rock music in general.  It’s not to say that you can’t come at the music from another direction, but a Stones fan is an automatic Rock n Roll insider to me. 

Strange enough though, of all the bands I’ve enjoyed listening to over the years the Stones are the ones I find myself defending the most.  It makes sense to some degree:  More than any other band, the Rolling Stones consistently run the risk of looking like a caricature of themselves.  They walk a fine line between swagger and self parody.  It’s so easy to chuckle at the images that Mick and Keith portray:  The prima-donna and the waste product.  What the critics often fail to recognize though is that at the core of any critique of a band should be the music and on this front the Stones play second fiddle to nobody.  Their music, like the music of the early blues musicians, is a sound that can only come out of poor and desperate origins, often with brilliant results.

For me, interest in the Stones started with Brian Jones, particularly his abandonment of the guitar in the mid-late 60’s for more exotic instruments, including sitar (‘Paint it Black’), recorder (‘Ruby Tuesday’) and xylophone (‘Under my Thumb’).  Next, I was interested in who was playing what on all the Stones recordings:  Bill Wyman’s ‘vrooming bass’ at the end of ‘Paint it Black’; Mick Taylor's lead guitar in the instrumental portion of ‘Can’t You Hear Me Knocking’;  Keith’s riffs in ‘It’s Only Rock n Roll’; all the musicians who contributed to ‘Exile on Main Street’, how the band came up with the sound to 'Moonlight Mile'.  The music was so good I found myself wanting to get these details down.  From there, it was simply a matter of enjoying the album-oriented songs the Stones are so good at, both live and on record. 

I’ve read a number of books on bands over the years, including the Rolling Stones.  They have quite a remarkable history.  Many musicians feel the same way:  When Pete Townshend inducted the Rolling Stones into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame he stated that the Stones were the only band he ever really wished he were in.  Listening to Alice Cooper as DJ, it is clear he’s a big fan (I also saw him at a Stones show).  To understand the fascination many have with the Stones a look at the individuals in the band over the years is a good place to start.  There’s the juxtaposition between one of the most fragile of all rock stars, Brian Jones, and the most durable, Keith Richards.  There’s the reclusiveness and unsung-hero status of Charlie Watts.  There’s the professionalism of Mick Taylor.  The band has had its own historian in Bill Wyman.  There’s the peace maker in times of internal strife, Ronnie Wood.  Finally, there’s the conqueror of the big stage, Mick Jagger (as long as he’s fronting the Stones).  No band has mastered the stadium show like the Rolling Stones, and Jagger has to take most of the credit.  When he’s on, it’s quite an experience.

It’s hard to find a good gem video of the Rolling Stones, because most of their videos are a complete goof off (See videos ‘She’s So Cold’ or ‘Worried About You’) or if live, don’t pick up the instrumentation as much as they should.  Like many Stones fans, for me their music peaked when I began listening (‘Some Girls’, ‘Tattoo You’), so the more recent music, although better represented in video form, does not rise to the qualifications of a Gem (Keith Richards would beg to differ, and in the process might  slit my throat).  Fortunately one of my favorite Stones songs comes across pretty good on video, so I will present it here as this weeks Gem.  The song, ‘Waiting on a Friend’ is one of the best songs I know about friendship.  Mick, Keith, and Ronnie dominate the video, but Charlie and Bill are there also, you just have to look down the bar a bit.

“A smile relieves a heart that grieves

  Remember what I said”

- Pete

Gem Music Video: Waiting on a Friend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0NYKWLMgx0

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About the video: Made for MTV

Video Rating: 1

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Best Feedback: Paul

Nice Pete - if you could only see the truth/reality of the political scene I would crown you "Best Bro-in-law".  This is a phenomenal song by the stones and a good early video too - seeing Keith and Mick at "Peace" after the ugly few years that preceded it.  You can almost feel the love between the two.  It reminds me of one of my all time favorites (hint - you need to play this one soon) called Memory Motel off of Black n Blue - which is the song we named Hanna (our boisterous lab) after...

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And: Steve

I was introduced to the Rolling Stones and The Who by Pete way back in

1982! I remember meeting Pete for the 1st time in Ottawa where we both shared a suite in residence at Carleton U. It was a nice Sept day and we decide to go cliff diving into a rapids where 6 kids have drowned. Don't worry Mrs. Steeves, nobody got hurt but the water was freezing and the current was very strong. I remember standing up in the river quite a bit down stream looking for Pete when I feel this grip on my ankles, I look down and see Pete under water smiling up at me with his hands on my ankles holding on for dear life!

We hauled ourselves out of there and proceeded to consume a large bottle of rye to warm our spirits for the walk back to the U. On our back, Pete starts singing 'Sympathy for the Devil' and I am truly amazed that he knows every word. He gets me to join in with the 'Yewww, yewww' and pretty soon we are 2 drunken, wet, young men bellowing out a awesome tune on a beautiful day!

That was my intro to Pete and the Stones, I wish I could see both of them again soon.

Cheers, Pete, Thanks for the memories.

Steve