Loss

“You're wondering now, what to do, now you know this is the end”—Amy Winehouse

Many won’t acknowledge that the music world lost someone of value this past weekend. A lot of people will just play it off with jokes, because it was just another hopeless junkie, one hit wonder who ruined their life and was on a downward spiral to bring nothing more than death and destruction.

I can almost guarantee that the people who agree with that above are the ones who never took a full listen to Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” album, or even her debut album, “Frank.”

It left a bitter feeling in my gut when I opened my news page to see that Winehouse joined the 27 club. I’ll admit, I had been one of those people who followed Amy to see what mess she had gotten into for the week. In fact she had a section in my news feed, but the biggest part of me was hoping that she would get herself together, write some music about her overcoming her addictions, and demons, and move forward with tour dates, and onward with her life with a brighter outlook. She could have conquered the world of music.

It’s clear Amy was a perfectionist. She delayed her (hush-hush) new album release for nearly a year, and rumors are milling that she had nearly three albums worth of content, which never seemed to reach the limit of being acceptable in her own minds eye.

An ex-acquaintance introduced me to Amy Winehouse in 2005 as, “The girl with the horse face, and the powerful voice.” The acquaintance was right, and I never looked back, but I looked beyond just her one hit wonder “Rehab” and to what else she could bring to the table.

A lot of people probably won’t understand why I’m writing about Amy Winehouse, because many will think that I’m standing up for drug addiction, or troubled souls, but I’m not, I’m standing for the music, and what the music could have been.

Winehouse leaves behind no legacy to a biological offspring, but only to a God-daughter named Dionne Bromfield, who was on Winehouse’s independent record label. I’ve been following Dionne for the past two years in hopes she’ll catch on to the US crowd, and perhaps, it’s the death of a God-Mother than will boost the attention to the only legacy Amy has to offer besides her own music.

Artists like Adele are not just showing sympathetic favor when they state that Amy “paved the way for artists like us…” Winehouse brought a revival to R & B/ Soul and a love for reliving 60’s pop songs with a modern message to communicate to the era of today.

So make all the “She should have said, Yes, yes, yes, to Rehab” jokes you want about her, but the truth is, that we have lost the Janis Joplin to our generation, and the Katy Perry’s, and Lady Gagas will come and go, but in our old ages who’s posters will be littering the stores that will cater to our nostalgia?

And I bet you it’s not going to be Justin Beiber. ;-)

The Red Specials Last Show

I went to a show a few weeks back at Circus. It was the final show for The Red Specials, and it's quite sad it's their last show, because this group in my own opinion, was one of the up and coming groups in Columbus. They were caught somewhere in between blues, folk rock, and some psychedelic universe.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Red-Specials/

Good thing for them, they're re-doing the band, which I can understand. They had a big group, and like most college bands, you graduate, you move on, and have the deal with the real world, and you lose bandmates so I can't wait to see what this new band may hold for us.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, we had to suffer through two late starting bands all the while looking outside watching snow grow higher and higher on the roof of our car.

There was one band that night that got me really excited about the Columbus Music scene once more.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stella/

A trio group called Stella. At first they might seem just like some terrible college, garage band, but the main guitarist and vocalist did some things to a guitar that made you go, Yeah, this alright, in fact, I think I kind of like it. One thing I didn't really care for was the fact that the main singer was just either nervous as hell, or trying way too damn hard to make the crowd like him. One thing that bugs me is when people want to talk and talk and talk about stupid stuff. I paid to hear music. PLAY! Talking time is for the bar. I could care less if you wrote this song during a hard time in your life, or if you enjoy pickled chicken feet.

• That won't deter me, though. I would definitely not hesitate to watch these guys again. I have a feeling we may seem them in Columbus Alive's upcoming bands in the near future.

• Their sounds were somewhere in between The Vines, and modest mouse, but sometimes you get the feel they could lean towards a Muse feel if they really tried. They've labeled themselves as a post punk/psychedelic band, and I think they nailed it on the head. The only songs they have at the moment are on their Myspace page, and they're pretty much just your typical demos recorded in someone's garage, but this is definitely a band you'll want to see live.

*******

Now, to the bad part of the evening. Trouble with Brownfield. Oh God-oh man, where do I start? This band screamed Yuppies nearing their mid life crisis. The sounds were somewhere near to the band Garbage meets some hippies along the road, but I won't give them the satisfaction of calling them even that good. The main female singer played some very lovely guitars. In fact, they're guitars you often fantasize in having and rocking out with.

• The main singer looked as if she had only had maybe a few months of guitar lessons, and could only play simple chords. She had no other un-ordinary, amazing techniques she could amuse the audience with other than, look at me, I'm a beautiful chick playing the gee-tar.

What really had me going WTF inside my head was some random girl, side singer who's job was to just stand there and go "OOooooooooooooo..." every once in a while. Other than that, she was nearly useless.

After the third song my husband and I just wanted it to end. No booze could save their sad attempt at a "jam" band.

• I think the thing that really killed it was that the main singer of course wanted to start talking, and said something along the lines of "Yeah, this is where I get to be me, because I work a BRUTAL 9-5 job in an office."

Yeah, totally BRUTAL. I'm sure most of the college kids in the facility can totally relate to that.

By the time Trouble with Brownfield left the stage it was nearly 1:30 in the morning, and I was already drifting into unconsciousness from boredom, so when the band of the night hit the stage we listened to around four of their songs before leaving, yawning the entire time on the drive home.

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P.S.- Red Special's main singer, yeah, I saw you at North Market the next day, and I know you saw me, because I totally saw you, and noticed you hadn't changed your outfit from the night before.

Rock on, brother.

Queen of Rockabilly

After surfing the series of tubes, it had come to my attention that Wanda Jackson, one of the first Queens of the Rockabilly scene has just released a new album that she co-made with Jack from the White Stripes.

I personally think it's wonderful you have the newer generation reaching their hands out to older inspirations, and not just ignoring them, and writing them off as dead, or in an assisted living facility. It was great when I saw this article on NPR.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Wanda Jackson was something of a female reincarnate of Elvis himself. She was one of the first ladies really who came out with a gritty voice that wasn't perfected, or pretty, and her songs didn't fluctuate around evenings of petting, and kisses on the hand after a "swell" night.

When you look at artists like Duffy, or mainly like Amy Winehouse while you still get their mo-town roots, part of me thinks they were somewhat influenced by the Queen herself. Part of what is sad about this is that we know about The Supremes, Etta James, and country music's Loretta Lynn, but not much is often heard about Wanda James.

I'm hoping with this recent collaboration with Jack White that Wanda will once find music appreciation again from some new and younger fans. I sure myself enjoy listening to her for the fact she is one of those first treasures in the Rock n' Roll beginnings.

Under the Covers vol. 1

After re-watching 500 days of Summer with Zooey Deschanel, I checked out the soundtrack, because I was almost certain since she was a part of this Indie geared flick, then her band She & Him would most likely show up, and it did.

She & Him covered The Smiths "Please, please, please let me get what I want" It's worth taking a listening to, and in the end, Zooey's soft voice makes it sweeter and possibly better than The Smith's original recording.

Take a listen.

16 - Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want (Album V.mp3

Also, take a listen to the Muse's version as well. They're both pretty great.

Surprisingly, even though I enjoy most of the modern day alternative music, I really cannot stand too much of The Smiths, or their back man Morrisey for that matter. While I admire their creativity in their lyrical candy, I often find their music droning, and almost as if my life source were being sucked out upon every second I have their music on.

It pretty much boils down to, those men just needed some hanky-panky, and a good night out, and I think their problems would have been solved.

Note to oneself

I am starting this blog of blogs about music.

As a part of my New Year resolutions, I didn't vow to lose weight, become a better person, gain self confidence, or run a marathon. Mine was simple, to find great alternative music, and submerse myself in it.

I vowed to go to more concerts, see more bands, and seek out the unheard. This is a blog for me. In December I was having a very hard time in my life, and I had to make some serious decisions which a lot of people didn't really support who were close to me. I had lost faith in the closest to me, but in my loss I gained a very fondness and adoration for music. That is why I am dedicating this blog and this year to alternative music.

This is not a blog for the latest and greatest, brand new album reviews, or shameless promotion... it's a blog about what I'm listening to, why I like it, and why you might enjoy it yourselves.

Cheers to 2011.

Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music. ~Ronald Reagan

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