St. Louis Music Blog

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Xmas_tree.svg

​Well, at least the 24-7 Christmas music didn't start in St. Louis this year until November 1. (Last year, if you remember, it started on October 10, after Movin' 101.1 prepared to flip to sports talk from upbeat music.) But yes, after hip-hop stalwart The Beat (100.3 FM) announced on Friday that it was switching formats, the constant holiday music began in earnest yesterday. Heck, the Halloween candy is still on sale, and we already can't escape good cheer and holiday schmaltz. Sure, nothing compares to hearing the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," Wham!'s "Last Christmas" and Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" for the first time in a season -- but will they grow stale by December 22 when the holiday season really kicks into high gear?

Big news brewing on the local airwaves: The Clear Channel-owned hip-hop/R&B station KATZ 100.3 The Beat has fired all of its on-air talent and changed formats, as of 12 p.m. today.

As the station's already re-designed website indicates, they will now play seasonal music. It's currently "stunting" (in industry parlance) as "Halloween 100.3 Scary Music for St. Louis."

See for yourself:

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Expect non-stop Christmas music (perhaps the only thing more obnoxious than Soulja Boy) after this weekend.

Ah, the ABC Afterschool Specials, those beacons of moral rectitude. In the '70s, '80s and even into the '90s, these TV movies showed kids just like you and me -- getting into total drama or dealing with big issues. Popular topics include divorce, having babies too young, adoption, physical trauma, drugs, illness and, um, dance offs. (See after the jump.) Scenarios might involve future bad boy Rob Lowe and bad girl-turned-tragic-figure/Different Strokes kid Dana Plato having a kid together and fighting over custody, like in the classic "Schoolboy Father."

Lately, A to Z has felt like she's been in a bit of a rut -- going to the same places, seeing the same people. I'm feeling...restless. Up for change. Ready for something new and different.

(Welcome to a new feature on A to Z: The Craiglist Musician Post of the Week. Associates and friends keep sending me links to funny and/or bizarre listings -- ones that deserve to be shared with the world.)

Been slacking on this blog feature, but this find justifies bringing it back right here. The ad asks:

R U A BAND IN NEED OF GRAPHICS??

For argument's sake, let's say sure. What should I do?

You know, we don't get a ton of dead-tree letters around these parts anymore, what with anyone able to fire off a comment on this blog quicker than they can find a stamp and a mailbox. But I did receive one yesterday that was too good not to share. Click on the image and enlarge it to read why one Richard C. Gunter did not like my piece on Michael Jackson.

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Here's a press release that just came my way: Living Things -- the local scuzz-garage-psych-blues-rock band everyone in town loves to hate -- is playing the Ramones in the forthcoming biopic about legendary girl-group The Runaways. Says the email:

In the scene, which is shooting this month, the Ramones are playing at Rodney Bingenheimer's notorious English Disco nightclub in Los Angeles circa 1975. Living Things have already recorded a cover of "We're A Happy Family" for the scene....

"I love Joey Ramone," said Berlin. "He is like the Elvis of punk. It's a mystical, exotic vacation to step into his shoes for a moment."

The Runaways were a teen-girl band of the '70s whose influence reverberates to this day. Its members included Joan Jett, Cherie Currie and Lita Ford. Jett, incidentally, is being played by Kristen Stewart (Twilight) and Dakota Fanning stars as Currie.

By the way, the press release also makes no secret of the following fact, but you gotta think that Living Things is going to receive endless amounts of shit for it anyway -- even if its performance is the best thing ever.

In addition to having a useful resemblance in attitude to the punk progenitors, the band has a direct line into the production - singer Lillian Berlin is the husband of the film's writer and director Floria Sigismondi.

Vintage Ramones clip after the jump.

On Sunday afternoon, July 12, celebrities and baseball legends will gather on the field at Busch Stadium for the Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball
Game. Musicians scheduled to play include Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell, Nelly, Chingy, Ashanti and Ginuwine. (No word yet on if the latter rapper, whose new LP, A Man's Thoughts, recently debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard R&B charts, will also have a pony along.) Cards fan Billy Bob Thornton (who also dabbles in music) is also playing. Full list of players and stars after the jump.

Yes, Pitchfork reviewed So Many Dynamos' The Loud Wars this morning, and gave it a middling 5.5. Most of the review talked about Washington, D.C.'s music scene. Gee, that's novel -- I've never heard that SMD sounds like the Dismemberment Plan before. Ever. /sarcasm

Thanks to Idolator, I stumbled upon this review OF Pitchfork's reviews/homepage today. Meta enough for anyone? Trust me -- that's just the tip of the meta-content iceberg. From Popsense:

Paul Thompson is an intelligent, all-around lovable guy with good intentions, but in this review we see him fall victim to a somewhat debilitating case of 'talking about shit that doesn't actually have to do with the music but could help him come to a conclusion about it regardless'.

Thompson describes the Loud Wars as being formulaic, which is inherently meant to hold negative weight. However, if one were to describe an album review that met a formula in which the reviewer talked more about the music recorded on the album instead of other things that aren't recorded on the album, you'd be describing a good review. In a very pitchforkian sense, then Paul Thompson's review is both formulaic and yet not formulaic at all. It's so human yet so digital.

Paging Ouroboros to thread. I agree with Popsense. SMD is playing Wars in its entirely tonight at 9 p.m. at Vintage Vinyl.

[Update, 2 p.m. Thursday, June 25: The band emailed me their side of the story.]

A slightly bizarre scene played itself out at the Firebird tonight, where Thunderkid, Crocodiles and Spelling Bee were set to play a show. Thunderkid opened, and a crowd of 30 or so people had gathered by the time California's Crocodiles were set to perform. For those unfamiliar, the band's a duo, and its beats are pre-programmed. And so a bit after 10:30 p.m., the pair slapped on sunglasses, the backing tracks started, and all systems seemed a go.

Just as quickly, Crocodiles stopped and said that apparently it would have to play acoustic tonight. In fact, the duo seemed really upset at the sound. I heard them say that it sounded "like a boombox" (exactly what that meant was unclear) while RFT writer/pal Todd McKenzie reported hearing them upset about "Fisher Price shit" sound. The Firebird's sound guy (who I didn't know off-hand) went up onstage and tried to fix things, but to no avail. After a short amount of time, the band moved its stuff offstage, and didn't play.

Frankly, none of us in the crowd really knew what was going on -- were the band's tracks not loud enough? Were these tracks muffled onstage? Was something malfunctioning with the band's equipment, or the venue's sound equipment? To its credit, the band said that they didn't have to get paid, and they seemed more frustrated than prima donna; they were apologizing to the crowd while this was going down. And to its credit, the club offered money back to people who wanted it. In fact, the entire thing was more shocking than anything -- I've never really seen anything like this happen before at a show.

I've put in emails to both sides to get some more details. Check back tomorrow.  

[Edit, midnight: The Firebird just tweeted this: "We tried to convince Crocodiles to play, even though they were upset. If you left without a refund, please DM us and we'll take care of you." Club also tells me that "If people in attendance email the club, we'd be happy to refund their admission or trade them for guest list at a future show." FB website here.]

[Edit, 10:20 a.m., 6/25: Mike Cracchiolo from the Firebird weighs in below. KDHX's blog also has a post from someone there, with more observations (apparently, band and crowd couldn't hear the drum machine). I sent an email to the band's account, and forwarding that to the label.]

(Welcome to a new feature on A to Z: The Craiglist Musician Post of the Week. Associates and friends keep sending me links to funny and/or bizarre listings -- ones that deserve to be shared with the world.)

The first installment of this feature is DJ Noji, from a group called ScottsBand. He's looking for a drummer:

I need a drummer to call for fill ins. If we could practice for an hour, I only need you for 2 sets. You can bring a 3-4 piece kit with hi hat n ride and we'll be just fine. I am not opposed to a hand drum either, just bring a cymbal for accents please or other percussion instruments. I do a wide range of songs, but I only play acoustic.

Pretty standard, right? Well, not quite...

Well, now's your chance: Someone just listed a drumset on Craigslist he says was bought from (ostensibly, we assume) ex-Blues hockey player Brett Hull, an "8 piece black & brass emerald drum set." See below --

craigslist.org

UPDATE, NOON: I was just sent this music video of Hull with the Calgary Flames. Please make sure to view 1:00 or so for Hull's awe-inspiringly bad lip-synch performance.

I don't own an iPhone, and I also don't go clubbing. But if I did, I would totally download this awesome new app, iSnort. I mean, if it existed. There are a lot of hypotheticals here. Including the one that this would somehow help me fulfill my dual lifelong dreams of being able to forego sleep and also being supercool.
 

BY NICHOLAS PHILLIPS

1) Ever wake up drenched with vomit, in a trashed hotel suite, spooning a prostitute?
2) Suffering from aches and pains associated with guitar solo splits; bar fights; jail hangovers; and/or coke orgies?
3) Has sunlight become an abstraction?
4) Do you play the guitar?

www.rosewoodchiropractic.com

If you answered "yes" to the foregoing, you're a face-rockin' rock-'n'-roller. But there ain't no need to live like Nikki Sixx. Rosewood Chiropractic Clinic in East Alton, Illinois, is putting on a free "Rockstar Workshop" on June 11th at 7 p.m. A press release says that discussion will apparently cover "ergonomics, posture and stretching as well as...overall health and nutritional advice for musicians of all calibers and ages." The emcee, Dr. Andrew W. Dykeman, probably knows whereof he speaks. He used to be the drummer of the pop-punk outfit judge nothing, whose music tickled your ears during certain episodes of Dawson's Creek and Party of Five (yeah, you watched 'em).

The rumors floating around town are true: Sonic Youth will be playing a free show under the Arch on Friday, July 17, as part of this year's Live on the Levee series of concerts. (Full disclosure: The RFT is a media partner of Live on the Levee.) Opening is Awesome Color.

Photo illustration by Jaime Lees

Live on the Levee (and Fair St. Louis) will be taking place on the Budweiser Main Stage on the riverfront levee this year, after flooding forced the annual event inland last year. Here's a link to that new Sonic Youth MP3 I posted recently.

Oh, and I'll have the entire Live on the Levee and Fair St. Louis line-up here tomorrow at noon. Any guesses of other acts playing? Who's on your wish list?

Yes, Wilco's eagerly anticipated new album, Wilco (The Album) leaked on the Internet last night. How do I know this? Why, Twitter, of course. I was first alerted via www.twitter.com/diditleak, which posted the news at around 12:45 a.m. Then I decided to search back to see when #wilco started trending.

The first mention I found of the new album came at around 8:30 p.m., from user freeloosedirt. Another user, dekkerd, chatted with him about it. But then things didn't get all crazed, capital-letters-and-exclamation-points, HOLY SHIT WILCO LEAKED!!! until 10:30-11:30 p.m. or so. Then the snap-judgment reviews started rolling in, with reactions ranging from "amazing" to"I want Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco back" and "huge disappointment." Someone even did a "livetweet" of the first listen. That's not even mentioning the people putting up links to the actual album for download.

The way these illicit copies spread across the Internet is fascinating -- like a series of dominoes falling. When you look at a Twitter feed full of Wilco fans, you can really visualize the psychology and reality behind something like a big CD leaking early. Plus, by morning, news of the leak is going to hit blogs and mainstream media, more people are going to look for the album -- and the cycle will perpetuate itself even faster. (Now I wonder if the band/label is going to move up the release date at all.) Other musings: Something I've always wondered about leaks of big albums: They tend to happen at night, Why is this? Also, I'm dying to know where this leak originated, because labels increasingly have a tight grip on highly anticipated albums, and don't release promos at all to press for review. How did this even get out so early?  

By the way, I give full credit to the phrase "Wilco (The Leak)" to chrisdotfoster,

[Update, May 25: Sad news to report -- Jay Bennett, R.I.P.]

Now that swine flu hysteria appears to be waning, news organizations must be trying to figure out how to fill space. How else to describe the beyond-comprehensive coverage of the breach-of-contract lawsuit ex-Wilco member/one-time Undertow artist Jay Bennett filed against songwriting darling/Belleville native Jeff Tweedy? Soon after Keegan passed me the Belleville News-Democrat blurb on the filing, I saw the story on Idolator, the Associated Press and Pitchfork -- and later in the day, on Pollstar, Chicagoist and (bizarrely) NYC media blog Gawker.

You can read PDFs of the entire lawsuit here and here, but in a nutshell, Bennett is seeking $50,000-plus in royalties earned on Wilco music he helped create from 1994 to 2001 -- the years he recorded with the band, up through Yankee Hotel Foxtrot -- and for his appearance in the 2002 documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. According to the Chicago Tribune:

[The lawsuit] concedes that Bennett was paid during his years in the group, but only in "infrequent partial payments" equivalent to 15 percent of the band's income from sales and performances.

Bennett claims Tweedy did not compensate him for his appearance in "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," which documented the creative process behind "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" in 2000 and captured a scene of Tweedy and Bennett bickering over the mixing of "Heavy Metal Drummer."

The suit argues that Bennett was never paid for his role and that Tweedy "never obtained the necessary releases for the use of Bennett's performance in the film."

Vanilla Ice. Home Nightclub. Saturday, May 16. The Ice-man has a new CD called Platinum Underground. He also has a blog called -- wait for it -- Vanilla Ice blog. He wins because he calls Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz "Pete Wince" instead (which is just perfect) AND quotes Tammy Faye. Seriously, guys. You know what I'm going to post below.

Dear Smashing Pumpkins collectors,

Why do you keep emailing me, asking if I'm selling my Zeitgeist promo CD? I'm genuinely curious about these queries, which I assume are stemming from my review of the album. For starters, it's mad illegal; my copy is a record-label-issued, numbered and watermarked promo with my name on it. It doesn't even work in my computer. There are no liner notes, it's a simple advance CD in bright yellow-and-black packaging. It has absolutely no value whatsoever, and I'm unsure as to how that completes "your collection." (Cue Comic Book Guy voice.) I'd get in big trouble if I re-sold this. It's never going to happen.

I troll eBay enough to understand the (bizarrely) intrinsic value of advanced and promotional CDs to collectors, so that's not the source of my befuddlement. But beyond that -- you're still ponying up big bucks in 2009 for Smashing Pumpkins memorabilia? I'll vouch for the band all the way up until Machina -- and I love Adore -- but SP Mach v2.0 is a sad shadow of its former self. The band's legacy has been tarnished by mediocre shows, a so-so reunion, the departure of drumming ace Jimmy Chamberlin -- and, as of this weekend this:

Here's a ridiculous story a friend passed to me last night. Apparently,

www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/gear.html

a red Fender Mustang guitar stolen from Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo a decade ago -- one on this list here; note about theft here -- resurfaced recently on eBay. Who bought it? Why, a HUGE SY fan who had no idea it was contraband from one of his favorite bands until after he bought it, from a seller who said he got it from someone in California (the location from where I guess the guitar was pilfered). The buyer messaged someone who works for Ranaldo, via the message board, and is still waiting on word from the band as to what's up. SY's new record, The Eternal, is out on June 9.

I'm trying to find a good video of the guitar, but failed, so here's a video from the band's 1986 Mississippi Nights show.

[Update, 11:45 a.m. Calendar Pimp passes along a story about Ranaldo getting other of his stolen guitars back, and a good photo of the guitar.]

(Welcome to Lost in the Supermarket, an occasional blog recurring feature in which we discuss unexpected songs we've heard in unexpected places. This doesn't just have to be your local Schucks or Dierbergs, either; any weird pairing you've heard is fair game for the feature. Email the scenario to me, with the phrase Lost in the Supermarket in the subject heading, and you just might see it here.)

Where: Marshall's Megastore, St. Louis Mills Mall

When: Thursday, April 9

I've had a long fascination with the bargains found within Marshall's, and this new-to-me store at the Mills Mall didn't disappoint. For just $99 each, I could buy a full suit of armor to put in my living room, to stand guard over my CDs and dust bunnies. I discovered these gems as the mellow sounds of the Shins' "Australia" wafted over the speakers, an odd choice for a store which generally favors the mom-friendly tones of Matchbox 20 (which came next). The clothing selections in the store were sadly lacking, probably because it's between seasons, but the knights in semi-dull armor were nevertheless a beacon of commercialized hope.   

You might have heard that Michael Jackson was going to auction off the contents of his Neverland Ranch, but then decided to change his mind at the last second. However! Press in L.A. still had the chance to view the contents of the aborted auction -- and Videothing.com shot video of the contents of the estate. Check out the hilarious video here, and take a look at a slideshow of more curiosities below. Seriously.

Erin Broadley

Kids, Incorporated was the teeth-rotting children's TV show from the '80s and '90s that's now known for launching the careers of Martika, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Fergie. The premise of the show was simple: kids played in a band, which lead to them covering popular songs of the time in between more traditional skits. And look what I found: The posse covering Marshall Crenshaw's "Someday, Someway" in 1985. Be thankful I didn't post the Cure cover, trust. Fergie Ferg's in the background of this clip; Marshall's at Off Broadway tonight.

Apparently this song was mad popular with performing TV shows in the '80s, because here's a version from Fame (which is actually pretty good).

So, odder bedfellows have existed, but this alleged show is on par with mods vs. rockers and metalheads vs. punks. According to Pollstar and an email I got from Dave Matthews Band's publicist, hipster barflies the Hold Steady are opening for the massively popular frat-rockers at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on Wednesday, June 17. Good for the HS, to maybe grow its fanbase and be seen by a lot of people -- and for DMB, for picking some pretty cool openers; other acts playing with them on the tour include Eli "Paperboy" Reed, the Roots, Femi Kuti and the Avett Brothers. Once this show is confirmed, I'll let you know.

The Hold Steady is also playing the Gargoyle on Monday, April 6, while Reed will be at Off Broadway on Tuesday, March 24.

Kudos to Jaime for finding this awesome 1994 news segment about "the world of rave" and children going to "so-called rave parties," which are "all the rage." Alexis Tucci is mentioned, as is the record store Deep Grooves. Randy Roberts wrote a great piece about this era a few years ago, right here.

No, you haven't stepped in some time warp back to Los Angeles in the late '70s: Fear's Lee Ving and X's Exene Cervenka will be performing at Deluxe on Saturday, April 4. Not together, mind you; Cervenka will have a full band (members TBA), and Ving's performance is solo. Mike Leahy and Deano of 7 Shot Screamers are also on the bill, doing some stripped-back stuff. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 the day of, although it goes without saying that you should buy in advance. (How to do this is TBA; check back here.)

"What will Ving be playing?" I wondered last night -- a valid question, since he's versatile and has a bitching voice. Wikipedia says he's done some outlaw country tunes, so I'd imagine some of these will surface. Check out the range in an appearance on Fame here. (His starring turn as an actor in Dudes is also on YouTube, in full.) Fear's recent gigs show the same piss-and-vinegar of the olden days, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear classics like "I Love Living in the CIty," "I Don't Care About You" or "Let's Have a War."

Of course, then there's this 1984 gem of Ving and Tom Scott on the Alan Thicke show Thicke of the Night. Scott totally co-wrote the Family Ties theme song. Which is maybe why it sounds so righteously smooth-jammy.

So here it is: The Breeders are scheduled to be in St. Louis on Valentine's Day to shoot a music video with St. Louis' all-female roller derby league, the Arch Rival Roller Girls. The video is reportedly for a song on a new Breeders EP that will be released this spring/summer.

We're not authorized to leak specific details (this is a private shoot), but we will say that one wouldn't have to work too hard to find the location and scam an invite. It's a "friends of friends" style event so start asking around.

Ahhh... It feels so good to spill the beans. Check back at A to Z where we'll give you details and other information as we have it.

See you there, my hearts,
Jaime Lees

(Artist rendition of the band planning its secret trip to St. Louis.)

Wow. So, in 1984 the Operations Department at the Missouri branch of Six Flags made this very elaborate (and rather professional) video for an employee talent show. I'm sure none of the performers ever thought it would last and see the light of day -- but 25 years later, here it is, in all of its '80s-tastic glory. Fantastic use of the Jermaine Jackson single "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming." (Michael's in the background, natch.) And a good glimpse of the amusement park back then.

Hey, it's Southgang performing "Fire In Your Body" here in 1993. Who's Southgang? Why, rocker Butch Walker's hair metal act. What a hesher.