S.F. OLIVEIRA (2014) Good Times: Rock and Roll Years. http://goodtimesrnr.weebly.com/
© profelipe ™
BEATLES © profelipe ™
John Lennon created the Beatles from his "school band" ("Quarrymen"). Paul McCartney joined the group in 1957. One year later, it was the time for George Harrison. The three guitarists became the foundation of what would become "The Beatles".
In the late 1950s, when Lennon entered the Faculty of Fine Arts, he called Stuart Sutcliffe to play bass in the group. They changed the name to "Silver Beetles" and then to the Beatles. Before going to the famous season in Hamburg, Pete Best became the band's drummer.
About this time, John Lennon said:
"Our best work was never recorded. (...) Performers were (...) in Liverpool, Hamburg and other dance halls. What we created when we were playing traditional rock was fantastic, and there was no one equaled in Britain. " (Rolling Stone, 1971)
The Beatles began recording albuns only in 1962 as a quartet and Ringo Starr was in place of Pete Best (Stuart Sutcliffe died in 1961 when he had already left the group).
It was also in 1961 that the musicians had contact with manager Brian Epstein, who changed the image of the group.
About the musicians, Epstein said in an interview in 1964:
"The Beatles are very intelligent, but they were not refined. I brought it to them: elegance, organizational skill and money. First, I encouraged them to take the leather jackets and then forbid them to appear in jeans. After that, I made sweaters to wear on stage and, finally, very reluctantly, suits." (February 1964)
John Lennon agreed, but later he complained of the changes imposed by Brian Epstein:
"You know, Brian put us in suits and all the rest, and we did our best. (…) The music died even before performing our tour of theaters in Britain. We felt like crap, because we had to cut a show in an hour or two and he went on, in a way, having only twenty minutes, which were repeated every night. Then the Beatles' music died, the Beatles as musicians died. That's why we never have progressed as musicians, we kill ourselves to concretize us. And that was the end. "(Rolling Stone, 1971)
That was the price of fame and "beatlemania". This option, however, became a problem with Epstein's suicide in 1967. He died with an "overdose of sleeping pills." (BBC)
On the death of the entrepreneur, John Lennon said:
"I knew then that we had problems. Actually I had no illusions about our ability to do anything other than play music, and I was terrified. "(Rolling Stones, 1971)
Before the death of Epstein, the Beatles had released their masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The musicians used various types of drugs since the time of the shows in Hamburg. This created a doubt as the lyrics of "Lucy in the Sky with the Diamonds", because of the title with the initials LSD.
John Lennon said that it was not what they were saying:
"People understood the initials of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as the LSD and they thought I was talking about acid.
[In reality] (...) my son Julian came a day school with a drawing made by him about a classmate named Lucy. He had scrawled stars in the sky and drew a picture of Lucy in the sky with diamonds. Simple, no?" (Playboy, December 1980)
The controversy was justified because rock musicians were in the habit of sending obscure messages in his songs (including the Beatles). John Lennon talked about it:
"I've gone through my dylanesca phase with songs like "I am the Walruz”. The trick is never say what you mean to give the impression of something more. A good joke." (Playboy, December 1980)
Joking or not, celebrities should be more careful about what they say or pretend to tell to the public. They serve as models (if that was correct or not, it is another problem) for many people and influence the behaviors of crowds.
In the case of the Beatles, the notorious killer Charles Manson said that the lyrics of John Lennon were "messages for him."
It was a lie.
DEPECHE MODE IN GERMANY 2006
The "Touring The Angel" by Depeche Mode would not come to Brazil. We decided to see the show in Europe. The best date would be on January 26, 2006 (in Frankfurt). We had gone to Germany twice and we knew that this time, besides the cold, there was snow.
We discovered (in Frankfurt hotel) the tickets were sold out.
We went to Germany because of the show and we should find a way to find the tickets.
In the taxi, going to Festhalle, talking to the driver, we were warned that it was a bit dangerous (and uncommon) negotiating with scalpers in Germany.
We went at the box office and the clerk said there were no tickets. We decided to mention that we left Brazil just to see the show in Frankfurt. But he repeated: there were no more tickets.
It began to snow. People with tickets, got in Festhalle.
There was a huge banner warning of the danger of buying tickets from scalpers. However, there was no alternative. Under snow and speaking in German and English, I started to talk to a man. It was the negotiation right there at the venue door.
The original price was 59.50 euros. There was no negotiation. We wanted two tickets and the total went for 300 euros.
The problem persisted because of the various recommendations regarding scalpers. If the tickets were fake, it was a foreign country. We could be barred and we could have other problems.
In the end, it worked. We entered. We were near the stage.
The show was great. It was really a good experience.
DURAN DURAN © profelipe ™
1985 was a good year. In January, I saw (for the first time) international bands at Rock in Rio. There was Live Aid.
It was the time of MTV, a channel that existed in function of music. The Duran Duran was the group that represented this period.
In the 1980s, there was a "Duran mania" as before, in the 1960s, had been the "Beatlemania".
Differences existed. In the case of the Beatles, there was a clear irritation with the hysteria of fans, especially in shows, when it was simply not possible to listen to musicians because of the constant cries and inadequate sound infrastructure to rock in gyms.
Twenty years later, it would be OK. The hysteria of the fans was well accepted both in gyms and stadiums and outside them.
The production of videos and photos was taken as seriously as the creation of music.
It was at the end of this decade (1980s), when I saw the show of Paul McCartney at the Maracanã. It was the first time he played in Brazil. I liked the songs of the album "Stg. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
I saw Duran Duran in 1988, also in Rio. It was the "Notorious Tour". The show was unforgettable.
Like any supergroup, Duran Duran had problems with both success and money. The solution was (provisionally) divide the group into two projects: Power Station (bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor) and Arcadia (keyboardist Nick Rhodes, singer Simon Le Bon and drummer Roger Taylor). Their albums have sold enough.
Arcadia produced beautiful (and expensive) videos for the songs on the album, especially the "Election Day". The Power Station, with a heavier sound, preferred the shows. John and Andy Taylor played twice in Live Aid: with Duran Duran and with the Power Station.
After Live Aid, Andy and Roger Taylor were not on the group anymore. Duran became a trio. It was the time of "Notorious" album. The band was created by John Taylor and Nick Rhodes. So it was Duran Duran anyway.
After "Notorious", Duran made lots of albums. Some were good and some were bad (especially "Liberty" and "Pop Trash").
The five original musicians (Nick, Simon, John, Andy and Roger) did another tour once.
Duran Duran still exists. But it was a band of the decade of 1980.
INXS & BOOMTOWN RATS & DEATHS © profelipe ™
Sadomasochism (BDSM) may represent a step before the suicide.
It happened with the stories of the couple Michel Hutchence (he committed suicide in a hotel room in Australia) and Paula Yates (she died of an overdose in England).
BDSM’s stuff, drugs and anti-depressants were found in the hotel room of Michel Hutchence. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle.
However, it was more complex. There was the vengeance of an ex-husband Bob Geldof (he lost Paula Yates to Michel Hutchence).
In fact, Michel Hutchence, lead singer of INXS, fully lived the motto of “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll”. He was considered a sex symbol and he had affairs with the singer Kylie Monogue and supermodel Helena Christensen.
Paula Yates (his girlfriend at the time) had abandoned her husband Bob Geldof to stay with the lead singer of INXS – followed his style “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll”.
The couple’s style brought trouble to Paula Yates, who was accused of not being a good mother.
Bob Geldof did not accept to see his daughters in the environment of the couple’s life. Geldof did everything to create problems to Hutchence and Yates. Geldog was not that “angel” of Live Aid. He was the devil in the life of the couple.
Bob Geldog “won” with the Hutchence suicide, and later in the death of Yates.
In 1997, at the time of suicide, Celso Masson wrote:
“(…) the hotel room where the singer died, police found a bottle of Prozac antidepressant. There was at least one reason for this depression. Paula Yates was facing a court battle with her ex-husband, also rock singer Bob Geldof, the custody of the three children they had together. Geldof knew did not have much chance to get custody but did it for revenge. Geldolf was the victim of adultery. This situation also left Hutchence furious. Hours before the suicide, he came to call the Irish singer who beat her phone in the face. (…) Paula, who was in London, did not hesitate to blame Geldof. ”
Bob Geldof was a singer of a rock band called Boomtown Rats (who knows this band?) He lost his wife to another singer and he was the sexy singer of INXS!! It was sad to Geldof.
In his revenge, however, Bob Geldof used the image of “holy” that was created for him with Live Aid event. He also used the image of the husband that lost his wife. He manipulated the whole story.
Hutchence and Yates had a daughter who was named Tiger Lily. Ironically, after the death of parents, the girl came to be created with the sisters under the responsibility of Bob Geldof.
The singer of Boomtown Rats was not the winner at all.
JIMMY PAGE & KEITH RICHARDS © profelipe ™
My favorite rock band is Led Zeppelin. All albums are perfect. They ended their career with the death of the drummer John Bonham.
After that, they played together somtimes – as in the marriage of Jason Bonham, the Live Aid concert or on the Atlantic Records – and they refused to use the name of the band.
Only in 2007, a special tribute, they used the name of the group and played an hour and a half. It was the event of the year in England. Mick Jagger was there to check out the show.
In the 1970s, there was a rivalry between the bands. However, in fact, Jimmy Page attended as guest of some albums by the Rolling Stones, both in the 1960s and 1980s. He has the admiration of Keith Richards.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to see the two guitarists playing live. I saw Jimmy Page and Keith Richards sometimes in Brazil.
Regarding the Rolling Stones in 2006, I had bought tickets to see their show in Frankfurt, but I could not make the trip.
I never saw Led Zeppelin or the Yardbirds or The Firm. I never saw John Paul Jones playing live. I love his album “Zooma” and I think the song “Drum n ‘Bass” is perfect.
About The Rolling Stones, the first time I saw their concert was unforgettable. It was in Sao Paulo, a heavy rain fell and I was afraid the show be canceled. A Brazilian band (Barão Vermelho), who opened the show, tried but failed to play under the rain, because of electric shock instruments – something that did not happen with the Stones.
It was the “Voodoo Lounge” tour. Despite the rain, the band came on time and the musicians played normally, Mick Jagger, with a hat, singing, dancing and cheering the audience like a sunny day.
It was very professional, which would be confirmed in other shows I saw them. I remember, besides the music, the giant snake on stage spouting fire and the end of the show with the feast of fireworks – something that has not happened in the show of Copacabana in 2006.
The best show I saw them was in “Bridges To Babylon Tour” in Rio de Janeiro. Bob Dylan opened for the Stones and sang along with them “Like a Rolling Stone”. Perfect.
An image that has marked it was the start of the concert with all the lights off and only Keith Richards came on stage and played the opening chords of “Satisfaction.”
Finally, in the words of the band: “time waits for no one.” It was good to have lived these moments. Life can be cool sometimes…
LED ZEPPELIN & GROUPIES © profelipe ™
The musicians of Led Zeppelin were with the ” groupies ” in orgies (despite being married in England). Jimmy Page was, for example , lover of Lori Maddox when she was 14 years old .
About Led Zeppelin’s guitarist, Pamela Des Barres said :
” Jimmy carried whips and liked to inflict some damage on the girls . He also developed a habit of visiting gay clubs dressed in Nazi uniform and applied heroine being surrounded by drag queens. “
In the book ” Hammer of Gods ” appears Jimmy Page ‘s opinion about the “groupies”:
” The girls come and pose as starlets, teasing and acting arrogantly. There was no problem if you humiliate them a bit. Everyone knows what they came for.”
Saying ” it humbles you to a little” , in a way, confirms the testimony of Pamela de Barres . More than that, Jimmy Page liked to use a “Nazi SS Storm Trooper Hat ” at the Led Zeppelin’s concerts and it was accessory used in practice sadomasochism (SM).
About SM, in an interview with Tony Barrell in 2010, the guitarist said :
“I’m sure some of your readers may have flirted with the SM. ( … ) I also have an appetite for all things of this world… or not…”
In fact , Jimmy Page did not deny his interest in SM. As he said, everyone “knew what they came for.” The musicians, of course, felt free to do anything with the “groupies”.
It was the 1970s . Today, with so many restrictions on freedom of the individual , it would be difficult to find musicians and “groupies” act that way. Many musicians tried to be like Led Zeppelin (music and behavior). However, they failed.
Led Zeppelin Golden Years 1968-1980 © profelipe ™
The death of John Bonham more than the end of Led Zeppelin, it meant the end of an era.
Led Zeppelin was created by guitarist Jimmy Page and businessman Peter Grant. It came from the ashes of the Yardbirds.
John Bonham was very important in the group's style choice: heavy sound, aggressive and professionalism.
With his death, Led Zeppelin could not continue it. At the time, it was made clear in a statement published in the press:
“The loss of four dear friend, and the deep sense of harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.” (Hammer of Gods, p. 210)
It was to be the end of history.
However, over the following decades, many people most could not accept the end of the symbol of the 1970s.
First, it was media speculation. Then, over time, even the original group musicians began to play the music of Led Zeppelin in their solo careers.
The inevitable came (for the first time) in 1985. It was Live Aid. It was the greatest moment of the festival. There were two more musicians: Phil Collins (who was the Robert Plant’s drummer at the time) and Tony Thompson. There was no time to rehearsal. The historical importance of the reunion was enough.
The anniversary of 40 Years of the Atlantic was in 1988. Again, without an appropriate rehearsal, the show was not at the level of what was the Led Zeppelin in concert. Jason Bonham was on drums.
In April 1990, there was another show. This was informal because it happened at the wedding of Jason Bonham.
In June of the same year (Classic Rock, January 2001, p. 42), Plant, Page and Jones played with drummer of Faith No More (Mike Bordin) to return with Led Zeppelin. It did not work. Jimmy Page did not approve the performance of Mike Bordin.
Page and Plant also made the project "No Quatter" for MTV, but without using the name of Led Zeppelin because there was no participation of John Paul Jones.
In 2014, in his interviews to promote the new editions of the albums of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page often make it clear that he would return to play with the band, but that resistance would come from Robert Plant.
Jimmy Page explains that the success of the "Celebration Day" in 2007 was possible because of weeks of rehearsals and because the musicians wanted to erase the bad impression left by the shows in 1985 and 1988.
It was correct.
Just watch the show or listen to CDs of "Celebration Day".
Even so, you could not go on like Led Zeppelin, after all, there was no Peter Grant, the years have changed and the musicians were old (the voice Robert Plant was not the same anymore) .
Led Zeppelin existed between 1968 and 1980. It was perfect. And that was it.
LED ZEPPELIN - HOUSES OF THE HOLY © profelipe ™
Today I would like to write some words about Led Zeppelin. I take two books: “Led Zeppelin” by Florence Rajon (Paris: Prelude et Fugue, 1997) and “Hammer of Gods” by Stephen Davis.
I open the books without any ideas about what I should write about the band. Coincidentally, with no intentions, I open Rajon’s book at the page 99, when he writes about the album of “Houses of the Holy” and the other book, I open at the page of 124, when Davis writes “They worked at Electric Lady with Eddie Kramer, mixing tracks like Houses of the Holy.”
I do not worry about “déjà vu” or coincidences. For some people, it would be some kind of strange.
Then I took the lyrics of Houses of the Holy:
“From the houses of the holy
We can watch the white doves go
From the door comes Satan’s daughter
And it only goes to show, you know
There’s an angel on my shoulder
(…) Let the music be your master
Will you heed the master’s call
Oh, Satan and man”
It reminds me (immediately) the French book about Led Zeppelin: “The inside of the cover, which depicts a man carrying a child at arm’s length, as an offering made to the deity of the ruined castle, intrigued fans who recognized the ominous death of Karac Plant four years later.” In French:
“L’intérieur de la pochette, qui représente un homme portant un enfant à bout de bras, comme une offrande présentée à la divinité du château en ruine, intrigua les fans qui reconnurent le sinistre présage de la mort de Karac Plant quatre ans plus tard.” (Florence Rajon, p. 101)
There was no secret about mysticism of the group. However, there is a strange association between the image inside of the cover of the album – “a man carrying a child at arm’s length, as an offering made to the deity of the ruined castle” – and the words of the song saying: “Let the music be your master. Will you heed the master’s call? Oh, Satan and man.”
It does not mean the death of Karac Plant was the result of an image of an album or the consequence of the lyrics of a song. By the way, the music of Houses of the Holy would be appear only on the next album, Physical Graffiti.
A tragedy happens in the life of any person. Sometimes it is a mystery. But when a person is associated with mysticism, it is easier to explain the event as if it were an omen of bad luck. It was the case of Led Zeppelin.
Moby © profelipe ™
The first time I heard of Moby was in January 2000. I was in Europe. He was making his tour on the continent at that time, so it was common to see posters announcing their shows in cities.
I did not know if it was a singer or a group. I imagined that it was not rock and roll. But it was only a hypothesis.
At the time, the band Pet Shop Boys was on tour as well. I tried to go on their show in Lisbon, but I was informed (at the gym door) that had been canceled. I saw the group, years later, in a festival in São Paulo.
I never saw Moby alive. But I became a fan. I bought CDs and DVDs.
Andy Crysell (Musik Magazine, July 2000), wrote:
"Moby ruminates over the sound of Deee Lite's 'Groove Is In The Heart'. Previously Moby has talked of threesomes and bisexual encounters, gamering the unlikely reputation of a ladies' man. Or man's man. Whatever."
I saw Deee Lite in 1991 in Rio. I remember little of the show. I remember two girls in audience that, from time to time, gave autographs. I figured that would be famous at the time. They were Cuca and Maria Claudia from MTV.
Andy Crysell shows Moby as a rockstar who has sex maniac fame. It was strange.
On this same magazine, Moby explains that this was a phase. The problem was the reputation.
Moby has no sex appeal.
It's hard to imagine that a guy skinny and without "sex appeal" could be so talented and produce a music so interesting.
PINK FLOYD - LIVE AT POMPEII © profelipe ™
The "director's cut" of a movie is not (always) better than the original version. "Live At Pompeii" by Pink Floyd can be one example.
The original version does not have the old commercial appeal. That is why it represents the music of the group in that time.
The director's cut (apparently) would claim to transform "that old music" of Pink Floyd into something more "acceptable" to the general public.
The director's cut shows some images and scenes of bad taste in the movie.
There are scenes of the musicians in the studio, with some interviews.
The British believe they have a special (and maybe even sophisticated) humor. Rock musicians (at least) believe in it. They create uncomfortable situations when they try to tell some stories. Robert Plant always does it.
"Live At Pompeii", "the director's cut," found that "the gift" is not exclusive of the former lead singer of Led Zeppelin.
ROBERT PLANT: REVENGE © profelipe ™
Robert Plant, sometimes, doesn’t show respect to the past of Led Zeppelin. Why?
First, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were musicians with important works on records as groups The Rolling Stones or The Who. Jimmy Page was known for his experience with Yardbirds. When he formed Led Zeppelin, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Once, Plant said:
“(…) he was really the master of Led Zeppelin. I was just chief whip.” (Guitar World, July 1986, p. 64)
John Bonham was young but he had his own style:
“According to (Jeff) Beck, Jimmy said: “Listen to this, listen to Bonzo, this guy called John Bonham. that I’ve got.’ When Beck heard the version, his heart sink. ‘I looked at him and said: ‘Jim, what?’ and the tears were coming out with anger.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 57)
Robert Plant was young too. However, he was critized. After the first U. S. tour, “the pop critics insulted his aria-like blues wails and his prissy, hyper-masculine posing. (…) Even Jimmy wasn’t absolutely positive about Robert. Cole recalls: ‘It was a very touch-and-go thing whether Robert would even be in the group after the first tour, because he didn’t quite seem to make it up to Page’s expectation. At the time, there was a possibility he wouldn’t do another tour. That was the truth.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p.64)
Robert Plant became a sex symbol. He and Jimmy Page were the stars of Led Zeppelin. After Bonzo’s death and the end of the band, Plant started his solo project with his first record “Pictures At Eleven”:
“(…) Robert took the tapes to Jimmy Page for approval. ‘It was very emotional,’ he later told an interviewer. ‘We just sat there and I sort had my hand on his knee, We were just sitting through it together. He knew that I’d gone, that I was off on my own with the aid of other people and just forging ahead, and all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213)
John Paul Jones didn’t like “Pictures At Eleven” and he told it to Robert Plant: “Jonesy thought I could have done a lot better with the first record.” (Guitar World, p. 64)
The revenge of Zeppelin’s singer would come with the project of “No Quarter”. John Paul Jones said:
“It’s a Jimmy and Robert’s reunion. I’m sure they’ll be doing Zeppelin’s stuff, but they didn’t bother to ask me.” (Record Hunter, November 1994, p. 97)
What about Jimmy Page? The critics came to Coverdale-Page’s project. Robert Plant said:
“Page & ‘Coverdale’? It was ridiculous when ‘I’ did it…” (Vox, May 1993)
The cover of Rock World’s magazine (June 1993) was: “Zep Wars! Coverdale – Page – Plant (The interviews)” In fact, Jimmy tried to work with other musicians. Robert did it with his first record and said about Page: “(…) all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213) However, when the guitarrist tried to work, Plant didn’t respect his project.
Robert Plant said in 1993: “The idea that Led Zep would reform with Jason on the drums, though, is preposterous. What’s gone is gone.” (Vox, May 1993, p. 18) But in December 2007, he, Page, Jones and Jason did a concert with one and half hour under the name of Led Zeppelin.
“Whole Lotta Love” was one of the greatest song of the seventies (it was relesead in 1969).
The music was perfect, but there was problems with the lyrics. Robert Plant:
“‘Whole Lotta Love’ did push rock ‘n’ roll another couple of steps. If the lyric hadn’t been stolen, the music would have been lesser for it. The mistake came in not crediting Dixion.
Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was here before anything else. I just thought, ‘Well, what am I going to sing? That was it, a nick. (…) well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.” (Musician, June 1990, p. 47)
This is Robert Plant. What more? It’s hard to say anything about the future. Probably Led Zeppelin is on the past and it was made by four musicians and Peter Grant. The master was Jimmy Page. Plant was right about it.
Robert Plant: The Fredian Problem
Freud wrote about the importance of the father in the life of everyone. It was true about Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. On the early days, his father did not believe that Robert had a serious job. Led Zeppelin was adored by millions of people. The musicians were millionaire. All this was not enough for the father of Robert.
“When, finally, the ‘Financial times’ article appeared [about the group], Robert excitedly put his arm round Danny’s shoulder and rasped:‘My dad finally believes I’m a success. (…) Now he finally thinks I may have done the right thing not to become a chartered accountant.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 140-141)
Unfortunately, it was not the end of the story. On the latter days, the luck of the band has changed. The son of Robert Plant died from a mysterious virus infection in 1977. His name was Karac. At that time, Robert’s father said:
“All this success and fame, what is the worth? It doesn’t mean much when you compare it to the love of a family.” (Chris Welch. The Story of Led Zeppelin. In.: HM Photo Book. London: Omnibus Press, 1983)
The young Robert Plant did not get the most important thing for him: the respect of his father. Nowadays he became an old Englishman. In 2009, Simon Cable ironically wrote a title for the Daily Mail: “Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant joins Establishment after accepting CBE from Prince Charles.” * Simon Cable wrote in the article:
“He was the bare – chested screamer who embodied the phrase sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.
Robert Plant was almost as renowned for his hellraising behaviour as for his performances with Led Zeppelin.
But old rockers never die – they just end up at Buckingham Palace.” *
Robert still sings. He is famous and rich. However, about the history of respect…
(*) Simon Cable. Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant joins Establishment after accepting CBE from Prince Charles. Daily Mail, 10 July 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1198901/Led-Zeppelins-Robert-plant-joins-Establishment-accepting-CBE-Prince-Charles.html
Rock 'n' Roll: 1954-1994 © profelipe ™
Everything ends. With the rock n roll was no different. It died in 1994, with the suicide of Kurt Cobain. “That’s All Right (Mama)” by Elvis Presley was released in 1954. Ready: 1954-1994.
What happened really new after Nirvana and “Nevermind “? Famous groups (like U2 or Metallica) have become big business , with expensive concerts, real events for members of a middle class that can afford the tickets. These people are not necessarily fans of the group, those who know the albums and songs. They are “a public event ” here in Brazil, it can be a festival of country music, “axé”, ”pagode” (samba) or rock n roll .
These people buy tickets to a festival without knowing who will be the attraction. The band, which would be the reason for the event, became secondary.
People do not realize the minimal differences about musical styles. It is sad and… boring.
ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC: A WAY OF LIFE © profelipe ™
It is not possible to write about twenty century without talking about rock and roll music. It doesn’t mean to say it was a revolutionary movement as it happened in Russia (1917) or in Cuba (1959). The changes of rock movement were different. It changed the way of life of society.
In the fifths, it was the cold war period. One, communism, shown as dictatorship and, on other side, capitalism, mainly United States, shown as democracy. The reality, however, wasn’t that simple. Behind the American way of life there were racism, prejudice against poor people and an external politics that justified dictatorships in, for example, South America .
There would not be rock n’ roll without blues. It remembers slaves and pain. It remembers the sounds of Africaand the contradictions of the colonialism. Of course, the first great idol wasn’t Chuck Berry or Little Richards. It was Elvis Presley. Being white didn’t mean it was easy for Elvis in the fifths. In his interviews, he tried to explain rock n’ roll wasn’t a dangerous movement. It was like the American youth needed to be protected from different ideas. In the case of rock, these ideas came from black people. Rock and racism in the fifths: these problems shown another America for the world beyond that ideology of cold war. But there was one more thing: Beatnik movement. Its ideas, poetry and experiences were important to change people’s comportment.
Probably hippie movement would not be the same without new ideas from beat generation. New social movement, new idols in the sixties. They came from England: Beatles, Rolling Stones and others. With The Beatles, rock n’ roll was an international music for teenagers. They meant new way of comportment: sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. Of course, Beatles were not just songs as Love me Do. They were also known for the lyrics of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The association with LSD was clear. There were yet My Generation (The Who) and Sympathy for the Devil (The Rolling Stones).
In the sixties, rock n’ roll was not music for angels, but, at the same time, it tried to show some answers for the society. Young people lived in hippie communities, with new values and not lots of rules. Sexuality meant freedom. Feminism fought for women’s rights. There were protests against racism too. The world was changing: 1968 in France, protests in Prague (communist regime), Woodstockfestival in the U.S.A. and left movements in Latin America (trying to repeat the 1959 Cuba experience).
In fact, rock movement changed people’s comportment, but it did not change much about political relations. In the seventies, people seemed not to believe in revolution anymore. These were heavy metal and progressive music years. The music was more important than the lyrics. It was clear at the symphony sound of progressive rock and, in the other side, the ‘noise’ of the heavy metal groups. One example: Led Zeppelin. With the 5 minutes of The song remains the same, the lyrics were:
“I had a dream. Crazy Dream.
Anything I wanted, anyplace I need to go.
Hear my song. People won’t you listen now? Sing Along.
You don’t know what you’re missing now.
Any little song that you know.
Everything that’s small has to grow. And it has to grow!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain.
Honolulu star bright – the song remains the same.
Sing out Hare Hare, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are so bright, as we go sliding… sliding… sliding through.”
What does it mean? Probably nothing. The important was the sound. Robert Plant’s voice was as an instrumental in this music and the meaning of the words was not essential. Some people could rememberStairway to Heaven or Rain Song, but here, as in the most progressive songs, the lyrics were about love or mystical meanings, not about what really happened in people’s life. With punk movement, in the late seventies, it was different. They were not musicians. It was just noise. They didn’t care. The important was the lyrics, the protest against the ‘old’ rock bands (as Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones) and the rules of capitalist society. Punk was more than music. It was a way of life. The lyrics of Anarchy in the U.K.:
“I’m an antichrist
I’m an anarquist
I don’t know what I want
But I know how I get it
I wanna destroy.”
Anarchism and rock music. Of course, this combination didn’t make punk a social movement, but, at least, it tried to put rock to what it was in the fifths: a music against rules. It was not only about the musicians. The behavior of the audience was important. It was true in the fifths and the seventies.
Punk was not the last movement of rock music – after that, there were different styles as disco music, new wave, hip hop and so on. Rock became important to the labels of music. Musicians became millionaires. Any new kind of music tried to change people’s ideas and, at the same time, it tried to make money as any capitalist industry.
By the way, it was the main problem: to use rock as protest became a way of making money. It sold almost everything: records, t-shirts, concerts, sodas… It worked as any product. Basically, rock music became mainstream. Young people of Woodstock were the parents in the eighties. They were different, of course, but rock and roll wasn’t a surprise or any symbol of protest. It was the decade of yuppies. Money was the only thing that mattered. Music as disco or new wave was their soundtrack.
In fact, lyrics of rock music never tried to show some left political views. There were some Bob Dylan’s songs, punk music and others, but they were not the majority. It doesn’t mean, however, that rock music did not changed the way of life in the second half of the twenty century.
ROCK 'N' ROLL AS SOCIAL COMMUNICATION © profelipe ™
Rock and roll was never considered a serious music. However, the approach would have to be another one. Maybe it’s not correct to consider rock and roll simply as a musical style. It would be more interesting to try to perceive it as a social movement. But, how could it be made? A possibility would be to verify the content of its lyrics and to perceive the context where they had been produced.
First, superficial lyrics had always been used for bands of rock and roll, independent of the time or the musical style. the Beatles, for example, they were known for songs as “Love me do”:
“Love, love me of / You know I love you / I’ll always be true, so please / Love me of, who-ho love me of / Love, love me of the You know I love you / I’ll always be true, so please / Love me of, who-ho love me of.”
Obviously, from the Beatles, there were more interesting lyrics as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”:
“Picture yourself in boat on to river/ With tangerine trees and marmalade skies./ Somebody calls you, you to answer quit slowly/ Girl with kaleidoscope eyes./ Celophane flowers of yellow and green, / Towering to over your head. / Look will be the girl with the sun in to her eyes and she’s gone. / Lucy in the sky with diamonds.”
This song, of course, was about drugs. It’s not possible to talk about this movement without drugs or sex. Jim Morrison – singer of The Doors – was shown as a symbol of both things. His lyrics were good. For example, “The End” shown the reality as seen by rock singer:
“He took the face from the ancient gallery / And he walked on down the hall / He went you the room where his sister lived / And then he paid visit you the his to brother / And then he walked on down the hall / And he cam you the door a, and he looked inside / “Father” – “Yes, sound” – “I want you kill you, / Mother, I want you… ” / (…) This is the end, beautiful friend.”
It had some symbolism for speaking of the desire to kill the father. It was a obvious reference of Freud and his thoughts about the relations of human beings. However, the problem is that the symbolism becomes reality: today sons kill their parents (for money, power and so on).
The sixties were known for the Love and Peace from Woodstock Festival. But there were also problems as Almont Festival, when a man was killed during The Rolling Stones concert. The were playing “Sympathy will be the Devil”:
“Please allow me you introduce myself / Why I’m man of wealth and taste / I’ve been around will be long, long to year / Stole many man’s soul and fate / I was ‘ round when Jesus Christ / Had his moment of doubt and pain / Made damn sure that Pilate / Washed his hands and sealed his fate / Pleased you meet you / Well I hope you guess my name, ah…”
These lyrics shown rock music was more than love or sex songs. However, these lyrics were used for those who said it was a bad influence for the youth. In fact, since the fifties rock and roll was shown as “the music of the devil”. Bands as Black Sabbath, in the seventies, made a new style with this idea. Black clothes and different lyrics:
“What is this that stands before me? / Black appears in which points at me / Turn around quick, and start you run/ Find out I’m the chosen one / Oh nooo! / Big black shape with eyes of fire / Telling people to their desire / Satan’s sitting there, he’s smiling / Watches those flames get to higher and to higher / Oh in, in, please God help me! / Is it the end, my friend? / Satan’s coming ‘ round the bend / People running ‘ causes they’re scared / The people to better go and beware! / In, in, please, in!”
In the decade of 1970, the rock and roll continued with the lyrics and the rhythms associating the music to the sex. However, there was one more thing: the relation of youth and the cars. T-Rex’s “Get it On”:
“You’re dirty sweet / And you my girl / Get it on / Bang gong Get it on / (…) Well you’re windy and wild / You got the blues / I’m your shoes and your stockings / You’re windy and wild oh yeah / You’re built like to car/ You got hubcap / Diamond to star halo / You’re dirty sweet / And you’re my girl.”
But the 1970 years were not only ambiguity or superficiality. There were also lyrics as “Money” from Pink Floyd.
“Money, it’s the crime / Share it fairly but don’t take the slice of my pie / Money, so they say / Evil Is the root of all today / But if you ask will be rise it’s in surprise that / They’re giving none away, away, away.”
Roger Waters put money as a “crime” or something “evil”. His critics were also in the 1979 album: “The Wall”. He used the irony to talk about educational process and the authority of the teacher:
“We don’t need in education / We don’t need in thought control / In dark sarcasm in the classroom / Teachers leave the kids alone / Hey, to teacher, leave the kids alone! / All in all it’s just to another brick in the wall / All in all you’re just to another brick in the wall.”
The critics were the objective of punk movement. They were against the “old bands” as The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, because, in their opinion, they “betrayed” rock and roll. They become what kids hated: status quo. They had abandoned the revolt feeling that always was associated with the rock and roll . Punk questioned the capitalist values, dressing different clothes, using anarchist symbols or photos of Karl Marx in its jackets. “Anarchy in U.K.” of the Sex Pistols:
“Right! now ha, ha / I am an anti-Christ / I am an anarchist, / don’t know what I want / but I know how you get it. / I wanna destroy the to passer by / ‘ cos I wanna be anarchy, / Ho dogs body / Anarchy will be the UK.”
One of the symbols of seventies was the band Led Zeppelin. Theses musicians were considered the inventors of heavy metal, what the band always denied. However, its influence was determinative in the bands of hard rock and heavy metal that had appeared in the posterior decades. Its style was copied. What it called the attention was the quality technique of its musicians, the constant innovation in its records, all the work developed for the guitarist Jimmy Page. Although there were songs as “Stairway You the Heaven” and “The Rain Song”, the band’s lyrics were superficial. An example would be “The song remains the same”. Musically, it was extremely innovative, but, in more than 5 minutes of music, the lyrics were meaningless. The left impression would be that the words had been only chosen for its noise, functioning almost as a sound of a musical instrument. But there was another problem with the lyrics: sometimes, they were not original. There was, for example, a process against the band because of the lyrics of “Whole Lotta Love”. In reality, they were from a Willie Dixion’s music.
The musicians of rock had tried to use some influence of Opera. In sixties, Pete Townshend created “opera-rock” called “Tommy” (that it became a movie with musicians as Elton John and Eric Clapton and actors as Oliver Reed and Ann-Margaret). In 1975, Freddy Mercury, of the Queen, created one of the classics of the rock, using the same influences. It was “Bohemian Rhapsody”:
“Goodbye everybody – I’ve got you go? / Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth? / Breast, ooo – I don’t want you die, / I sometimes wish I’d to never been born at all? / I see little silhouetto of man, / Scaramouch, scaramouch will you of the Fandango? / Thunderbolt and lightning – very very frightening me? / Gallileo, Gallileo, Gallileo, Gallileo / Gallileo figaro – Magnifico?”
Sex was used in the rock since the fifties. The words “rock and roll” meant “making sex”. One of the bands, in 1980 years, that they had insisted on this line was the Motley Crüe. The references in the song “Girls, Girls, Girls” were clear:
“Friday night and I need fight / My motorcycle and switchblade knife / Handful of grease in my to hair feels right / But what I need you make tight ploughs me / Girls, Girls, Girls / Long legs and burgundy lips / Girls, Girls, Girls / Dancin ‘ down on Sunset Strip / Girls, Girls, Girls / Red lips, fingertips / Trick or treat – sweet you eat.”
The image of the Motley Crüe would be still associated with playmate Pamela Anderson, that had a relationship with the drummer of the band, Tommy Lee. The relation between rock stars and the supermodels would be well-known since the seventies – Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, Axl Rose and Stephanie Seymour, among others. Probably, beyond the exposition in the media, something that would explain this behavior would be the position of the musicians with their own fans. The constant parties, the “wild” life on the road and the image “bad boys” fascinated young girls. They were the “groupies” – fans that involved sexually with their idols. In this subject, the group that more created myths of “wild on the road” was the Led Zeppelin. As told by Miss Pamela, a groupie in the seventies:
“And, you know, we’d heard about Led Zeppelin, how crazy they were. (…) We heard how wild Led Zeppelin were, that they fucked everybody, a different girl every night. They had that reputation into their first tour.Absolutely!”
The stories of Led Zeppelin had been described, in details, on the book “Hammer of Gods”. In the next decade, one style called the attention: “indie” or the alternative music. One of them was “gothic rock”, with bands as The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, The Cure and others. The lyrics, many times, were about death and sadness. There were still philosophical words – as “Ribbons” of The Sisters of Mercy – “I tried you tell to her about Marx and Engels” - or references about vampires and “black ages”, as “Bela Lugosi is Dead” of the Bauhaus:
“White on white translucent black capes/ back on the back/ beautiful lugosi’s dead/ the bats have left the Bell to tower/ the victims have been bled/ red velvet lines the black box/ beautiful lugosi’s dead/ undead undead undead/ the virginal brides file past his tomb/ strewn with time’s dead flowers/ bereft in deathly bloom/ alone in darkened room/ the count beautiful lugosi’s dead/ undead undead undead.”
Critical lyrics in the 1990 years: it was time for “hip hop” music. Public Enemy, for example, pointed the problems with the 911 service in the United States:
“Hit me / Going, going, gone / Now I dialed 911 long teams ago / Don’t you see how barks they’re reactin ‘ / They only eats and they eats when they wanna / (…) Everyday they don’t to never eats correct / You can ask my man right here with the broken neck / He’s witness you the job to never bein ‘ done.”
In 1990 years, a style that came from heavy metal it was “thrash”. A “faster” sound, with lyrics influenced by Black Sabbath or social critics as “Refuse/Resist” from the Brazilian group Sepultura:
“Tanks on the streets / Confronting police / Bleeding the Plebs Raging crowd / Burning cars / Bloodshed starts Who’ll be alive! / (…) Refuse/Resist Refuse.”
Still in this decade, but with a completely different style, Prodigy used techno – a dance music – with an influence from punk movement. The references on the lyrics were into to the sex or to the use of drugs, as in “Breathe” (1997):
“Breathe with me. / Breathe the pressure, / My eats play game I’ll test ya. / Psychosomatic addict, insane. / Breathe the pressure, Eats play my game I’ll test ya. / Psycho, -somatic addict, insane. / My eats play game. Inhale, inhale, you’re the victim.”
Lyrics more politics could be found in the songs of the Rage Against The Machine. They tried to raise the flag of the Third World. In one of its DVDs, they showed interviews of the intellectual Noam Chomsky andMarcus Commander. These interviews, of course, tried to show the real problems of the capitalist system. Rage’s songs were about that too. One example could be “Guerrilla Radio” (1999):
“Transmission third world to war third round / Decade of the weapon of sound above ground / In shelter if youre looking will be shade / Brutal I lick shots at the charade / The polls close like casket / On truth devoured Silent play in the shadow of to power / Spectacle monopolized.”
Many thinkers will be able to argue that all the lyrics here were “superficial stuff from teens against the status quo.” Maybe. But, it would not be possible to deny, on the other side, that its messages represent the feeling of a youth that, many times, feels without perspective in our society. In this direction, the doubts of these young people would not be so distant of the books written by the intellectuals in the universities.
Rock and Roll & The Culture Industry © profelipe ™
If the rock “was born” in 1955, it “died” with the suicide of Kurt Cobain and the end of Nirvana.
In the beginning, the rock idols n 'roll had attitudes. Their characteristics made this musical style: "sex symbol" as Elvis Presley, the rejection of the image of the "old" Bill Harley, the homosexuality Richards and the original style of singer-guitarist Chuck Berry.
Another important point was the majority of men in all the history of rock. There were not lots of rock and roll groups of women Runaways and L7 were exceptions.
Girls were the public - from the screaming teenage girls of Beatlemania to "groupies" of the 1970s.
If the rock and roll was a movement, it was sexist.
The "sex, drugs and rock n 'roll" did not change the traditional model of heterosexual couple in the decade of 1960.
The rock and roll was to young people. There was the idea that it would be good to die before I get old. In the 1960s, it was said that one could not rely on a person over 30 years.
The rock and roll idols could not be fat.
The self-destruction created myths as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain.
The deaths usually were associated with overuse of drugs (Hendrix and Joplin), excess alcohol (Bon Scott and John Bonham) or even to suicide (Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain).
The rock and roll was considered a rebel movement. It was a police matter. Several arrests were made, such as Keith Richards and Jim Morrison.
Nowadays, nobody takes this premise of "rebel" seriously. A rock star becomes millionaire. There is nothing wrong with that, in the eyes of the public and the media.
The punk movement leaders tried unsuccessfully to rescue the figure of the "revolt" on the rock and roll.
The self-destruction leads to depression. Gothic Rock was in charge of carrying out such a flag. Black clothes, excessive makeup, serious look or sad, suicide praise, coldness, indifference were some of the characteristics of these musicians and their followers. It was Joy Division, with the leadership of Ian Curtis. The group was followed by bands like The Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie and The Banshies and The Cure.
Velvet Underground and even the punk movement, somehow influenced the Gothic Rock.
The rock and roll was always a simple song, “the three chords music.” However, it could be simpler. So it came the superficial "pop music".
It was pure commercial music who fakes a "pose rock n 'roll." Examples are Duran Duran, Eurythmics, B-52's, Tears For Fears, A-ha, among others.
Anyway, the rock and roll was the music of the second half of the twentieth century. It was the time of the “cold war”.
This style was also identified with narcissism, individualism and the superiority. It was the time of the superstars.
Rock and roll was also contradictory. Elvis was a symbol of rebellion. But he was also a nationalist, married and served in the army. He was a white idol of a song created by black people.
Even today, especially in heavy metal style, there is racism in rock and roll.
Rebellion against the system? When? Where?
In fact, rock and roll produces alienation. It became part of the culture industry.
SEX PISTOLS
The punk happened between 1975 and 1979. Sex Pistols was the symbol of the movement. The place was England.
Despite the impact on the history of rock, everything happened very quickly.
In late 1975, under the guidance of Malcolm McLaren, John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock started the rehearsals.
They did the first show in November at St. Martin's College (Vox, September 1995, p . 64).
They made several shows in English colleges. They played covers of The Small Faces and The Who and they created their own songs.
In April 1976, after seeing the Pistols, Joe Strammer left the his own group and he created the Clash.
In May, a fan in the audience, Sid Vicious, became a symbol of the movement. He would play bass on the Sex Pistols.
Until then, however, despite the fame, the musicians were not satisfied. John Lydon:
"The tour was characterized by fights and no money. It was a nightmare." (Vox, September 1995, p. 64)
In October, the musicians signed a contract with record label EMI, which would later be canceled because of the scandals of the band.
In November, it was the time for "Anarchy In The UK":
"I'm an antichrist
I'm an anarchist
I do not know what I want
But I know how I get it
I wanna destroy."
In December 1976, the musicians (of Sex Pistols) would shock quite the conservative population on TV show.
It was the time for "Anarquy Tour of The UK", with Sex Pistols, Clash, Damned and Heartbreakers.
In 1977, the Pistols were signed to Virgin Records and they released "God Save The Queen" in May.
In October, it released the album "Never Mind Bollocks".
The US tour was in January 1978. Nothing has changed. The confusion continued. In one show, the bassist Sid Vicious said to the public:
"You cowboys are all a bunch of fucking fagots!"
One guy in the audience reacted and he was attacked by Vicious with his bass. The boy was removed from the show by police.
On January 14, the Pistols would play their last show.
Paul Cook and Steve Jones traveled to Rio de Janeiro. Sid Vicious was hospitalized because of heroin use. John Lydon went to New York, saying he did not sing more with the Pistols. It was the end.
In 1978, Sid Vicious was arrested, charged with the murder of her girlfriend. In 1979, he died of a heroin overdose.
John Lydon created another band, Public Image Ltd (PIL).
They did another tour once. They played in Brazil.
That was it.
Sting © profelipe ™
Yesterday, at the Tabacaria, I listened the entire album "Bring On The Night".
You can not deny that the first solo album of Sting is a masterpiece. He gathered only frontline musicians and created an amazing band with Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland and Omar Hakim.
Sting knew he was doing something special, so he made a film of the whole process of creation and development of the project. The movie is great and is also called "Bring On The Night".
For me, "Bring On The Night" was a gift from my best friend at the time. However, in a bar, on the same night, I lent the album to another friend. I never saw my gift again.
THE SISTERS OF MERCY - VISION THING © profelipe ™
The Sisters of Mercy has officially released only three albums, two compilations, one EP and several singles.
In recent years, with the decline of the CDs, the group failed to release records. The musicians chose to do concerts and show new songs in the festivals.
Everything is available on the official website, including previously unpublished videos.
The last official album, "Vision Thing", had a tour that began in Brazil in 1990. There were great shows (I saw one in São Paulo and two in Rio).
About the album, Charles M. Young wrote an objective and interesting critique in the Playboy (October 1991):
"The Sisters of Mercy (...) call the President of United States a motherfucker in the title song of 'Vision Thing' (Elektra). Now, that's getting to the point! Lyrically and musically, the energy emanates from the dark side but in ultimately liberating, because The Sisters (who are mostly Andrew Eldritch) can name and locate the darkness accurately and poetically. Yeah, I suppose they're Gothic, but there's a lot more to these guys than dressing in black."
Critics wrote about the Sisters of Mercy in the Melody Maker or sometimes in the New Musical Express. The text of the Playboy was to another audience that do not know what is called “alternative music”.
Charles M. Young wrote with objectivity to describe the group and last album. Since then, I started to pay more attention in the writings of Young. As for the band, I was a fan and I still like the work of Andrew Eldritch.
THE SISTERS OF MERCY & PATRICIA MORRISON © profelipe ™
The album “Floodland” is a classic and it was basically made with the bass of Patricia Morrison. Andrew Eldritch had worked with her in the Sisterhood. There was no tour to the “Floodland”. For what would be the next album, “Vision Thing”, there will be not only promotional videos. By the way, there was a new member in the band: guitarist Andreas Bruhn.
The first shows would be in Brazil in 1990. Of the five shows, I saw three, one in São Paulo and two in Rio This means that I almost saw Patricia Morrison perform live (the dream of every fan).
However, Eldritch had other plans. He would make an album based on guitar sound and no on bass – which angered many people. Andreas Bruhn was the “guy”. Patricia Morrison resigned and it was called for her place – revolt! – the hated Tony James, former frontman of the “fake” Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
The formation that played on the album and that came to Brazil were the three and yet the guitarist Tim Brechno (ex-All About Eve) and, of course, Doktor Avalanche.
Tony James also was fired during the “Vision Thing” tour. There was no another bass player. This would be a job to Doktor Avalanche.
The group had several formations after this. I saw The Sisters again in 2006, in Rio de Janeiro. The bass sound was made by Doktor Avalanche. On some songs, however, one of the guitarists played the bass. The concert was, as always, pretty good.
THE ROLLING STONES - INSPIRATION TO CREATE MUSIC © profelipe ™
Keith Richards, despite the fame and all the beautiful melodies created for the Rolling Stones, had his own words about inspiration: he used to say that he would only be a "middleman" who receive the music from somewhere. In "Satisfaction", for example, he said that the melody would have appeared in a dream. When he awoke, of course, he just made the music. John Lennon, in his last interview, had another theory:
"[The Rolling Stones] want a song and we went to see what kind of stuff they did. Paul had a snippet of a song and we sang for them. They said, 'OK, it's our style’. But it was really only an excerpt, both Paul and I went to a corner of the room and completed the song while they were there, chatting. We went back to Mick and Keith, who said: 'My God, look at this. They were there and already finished'. We gave the music for them. A handout. This shows the importance we attached to them. We would not give them something that is really good, right? It was the first album the Stones. Anyway, Mick and Keith said: 'If they can make a song so easily, we can try’. " (The 30 Best Playboy Interviews)
Still on the way to create the songs, in the case of Keith Richards, there is another important thing. It is about the inspiration associated with drugs. That was clear at the time of production of their masterpiece "Exile On Main Street":
"Day after day, Keith gets stoned and delay in the bathroom upstairs - meanwhile, Mick and the rest of the Rolling Stones sit, waiting. Mick can do nothing to force Keith to create new melodies for which can compose the lyrics. Mick depends on Keith. Likewise, without the help of Mick, Keith has no way to finish the album on which the Stones are working. No album and… the Stones can not be touring in the United States. Without the money they will earn, they have no way to survive as a band." (Robert Greenfield, Memory of Exile, Rolling Stone)
Composing was not simple. It was not easy to rely on others, especially in a rock group. However, the double creation of the Rolling Stones surpass the Beatles in terms of longevity. Good or bad, after more than 50 years, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are still around, creating new songs and doing shows together.
U2 "ELEVATION TOUR" PARIS 2001
I was in Paris in July 2001. I was married at the time. The "Elevation Tour" did not come to Brazil.
The musicians wanted to do a different show from mega structure used in the "PopMart Tour" (I saw this show at Morumbi in São Paulo).
They did not wanted to play in stadiums.They prefered to play in places as Madison Square Garden.
In Paris, they played at the Palais Omnisports.
It was to be only one show and, of course, the tickets were sold out.
Reading a magazine in the city, I discovered that the group was going to do another show at the Palais Omnisports. I thought, "it does not hurt to try to find some tickets". So we went to a Virgin Megastore and we bought the tickets. The plan worked. No problem.
Arriving at the Palais Omnisports, another good surprise: there were no queues. It was a super quiet and small place.
We could see the musicians (very) close - especially since there was a huge heart that was connected to the main stage where The Edge and Bono spent most of the time.
It was a wonderful show with all the "hits" of the band and yet with the new ones: "All That You Can not Leave Behind" as the beautiful "Beautiful Day", "Walk On", "Elevation" and "Stuck in a Moment ".
John Lennon created the Beatles from his "school band" ("Quarrymen"). Paul McCartney joined the group in 1957. One year later, it was the time for George Harrison. The three guitarists became the foundation of what would become "The Beatles".
In the late 1950s, when Lennon entered the Faculty of Fine Arts, he called Stuart Sutcliffe to play bass in the group. They changed the name to "Silver Beetles" and then to the Beatles. Before going to the famous season in Hamburg, Pete Best became the band's drummer.
About this time, John Lennon said:
"Our best work was never recorded. (...) Performers were (...) in Liverpool, Hamburg and other dance halls. What we created when we were playing traditional rock was fantastic, and there was no one equaled in Britain. " (Rolling Stone, 1971)
The Beatles began recording albuns only in 1962 as a quartet and Ringo Starr was in place of Pete Best (Stuart Sutcliffe died in 1961 when he had already left the group).
It was also in 1961 that the musicians had contact with manager Brian Epstein, who changed the image of the group.
About the musicians, Epstein said in an interview in 1964:
"The Beatles are very intelligent, but they were not refined. I brought it to them: elegance, organizational skill and money. First, I encouraged them to take the leather jackets and then forbid them to appear in jeans. After that, I made sweaters to wear on stage and, finally, very reluctantly, suits." (February 1964)
John Lennon agreed, but later he complained of the changes imposed by Brian Epstein:
"You know, Brian put us in suits and all the rest, and we did our best. (…) The music died even before performing our tour of theaters in Britain. We felt like crap, because we had to cut a show in an hour or two and he went on, in a way, having only twenty minutes, which were repeated every night. Then the Beatles' music died, the Beatles as musicians died. That's why we never have progressed as musicians, we kill ourselves to concretize us. And that was the end. "(Rolling Stone, 1971)
That was the price of fame and "beatlemania". This option, however, became a problem with Epstein's suicide in 1967. He died with an "overdose of sleeping pills." (BBC)
On the death of the entrepreneur, John Lennon said:
"I knew then that we had problems. Actually I had no illusions about our ability to do anything other than play music, and I was terrified. "(Rolling Stones, 1971)
Before the death of Epstein, the Beatles had released their masterpiece, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The musicians used various types of drugs since the time of the shows in Hamburg. This created a doubt as the lyrics of "Lucy in the Sky with the Diamonds", because of the title with the initials LSD.
John Lennon said that it was not what they were saying:
"People understood the initials of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds as the LSD and they thought I was talking about acid.
[In reality] (...) my son Julian came a day school with a drawing made by him about a classmate named Lucy. He had scrawled stars in the sky and drew a picture of Lucy in the sky with diamonds. Simple, no?" (Playboy, December 1980)
The controversy was justified because rock musicians were in the habit of sending obscure messages in his songs (including the Beatles). John Lennon talked about it:
"I've gone through my dylanesca phase with songs like "I am the Walruz”. The trick is never say what you mean to give the impression of something more. A good joke." (Playboy, December 1980)
Joking or not, celebrities should be more careful about what they say or pretend to tell to the public. They serve as models (if that was correct or not, it is another problem) for many people and influence the behaviors of crowds.
In the case of the Beatles, the notorious killer Charles Manson said that the lyrics of John Lennon were "messages for him."
It was a lie.
DEPECHE MODE IN GERMANY 2006
The "Touring The Angel" by Depeche Mode would not come to Brazil. We decided to see the show in Europe. The best date would be on January 26, 2006 (in Frankfurt). We had gone to Germany twice and we knew that this time, besides the cold, there was snow.
We discovered (in Frankfurt hotel) the tickets were sold out.
We went to Germany because of the show and we should find a way to find the tickets.
In the taxi, going to Festhalle, talking to the driver, we were warned that it was a bit dangerous (and uncommon) negotiating with scalpers in Germany.
We went at the box office and the clerk said there were no tickets. We decided to mention that we left Brazil just to see the show in Frankfurt. But he repeated: there were no more tickets.
It began to snow. People with tickets, got in Festhalle.
There was a huge banner warning of the danger of buying tickets from scalpers. However, there was no alternative. Under snow and speaking in German and English, I started to talk to a man. It was the negotiation right there at the venue door.
The original price was 59.50 euros. There was no negotiation. We wanted two tickets and the total went for 300 euros.
The problem persisted because of the various recommendations regarding scalpers. If the tickets were fake, it was a foreign country. We could be barred and we could have other problems.
In the end, it worked. We entered. We were near the stage.
The show was great. It was really a good experience.
DURAN DURAN © profelipe ™
1985 was a good year. In January, I saw (for the first time) international bands at Rock in Rio. There was Live Aid.
It was the time of MTV, a channel that existed in function of music. The Duran Duran was the group that represented this period.
In the 1980s, there was a "Duran mania" as before, in the 1960s, had been the "Beatlemania".
Differences existed. In the case of the Beatles, there was a clear irritation with the hysteria of fans, especially in shows, when it was simply not possible to listen to musicians because of the constant cries and inadequate sound infrastructure to rock in gyms.
Twenty years later, it would be OK. The hysteria of the fans was well accepted both in gyms and stadiums and outside them.
The production of videos and photos was taken as seriously as the creation of music.
It was at the end of this decade (1980s), when I saw the show of Paul McCartney at the Maracanã. It was the first time he played in Brazil. I liked the songs of the album "Stg. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
I saw Duran Duran in 1988, also in Rio. It was the "Notorious Tour". The show was unforgettable.
Like any supergroup, Duran Duran had problems with both success and money. The solution was (provisionally) divide the group into two projects: Power Station (bassist John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor) and Arcadia (keyboardist Nick Rhodes, singer Simon Le Bon and drummer Roger Taylor). Their albums have sold enough.
Arcadia produced beautiful (and expensive) videos for the songs on the album, especially the "Election Day". The Power Station, with a heavier sound, preferred the shows. John and Andy Taylor played twice in Live Aid: with Duran Duran and with the Power Station.
After Live Aid, Andy and Roger Taylor were not on the group anymore. Duran became a trio. It was the time of "Notorious" album. The band was created by John Taylor and Nick Rhodes. So it was Duran Duran anyway.
After "Notorious", Duran made lots of albums. Some were good and some were bad (especially "Liberty" and "Pop Trash").
The five original musicians (Nick, Simon, John, Andy and Roger) did another tour once.
Duran Duran still exists. But it was a band of the decade of 1980.
INXS & BOOMTOWN RATS & DEATHS © profelipe ™
Sadomasochism (BDSM) may represent a step before the suicide.
It happened with the stories of the couple Michel Hutchence (he committed suicide in a hotel room in Australia) and Paula Yates (she died of an overdose in England).
BDSM’s stuff, drugs and anti-depressants were found in the hotel room of Michel Hutchence. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle.
However, it was more complex. There was the vengeance of an ex-husband Bob Geldof (he lost Paula Yates to Michel Hutchence).
In fact, Michel Hutchence, lead singer of INXS, fully lived the motto of “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll”. He was considered a sex symbol and he had affairs with the singer Kylie Monogue and supermodel Helena Christensen.
Paula Yates (his girlfriend at the time) had abandoned her husband Bob Geldof to stay with the lead singer of INXS – followed his style “Sex, Drugs & Rock & Roll”.
The couple’s style brought trouble to Paula Yates, who was accused of not being a good mother.
Bob Geldof did not accept to see his daughters in the environment of the couple’s life. Geldof did everything to create problems to Hutchence and Yates. Geldog was not that “angel” of Live Aid. He was the devil in the life of the couple.
Bob Geldog “won” with the Hutchence suicide, and later in the death of Yates.
In 1997, at the time of suicide, Celso Masson wrote:
“(…) the hotel room where the singer died, police found a bottle of Prozac antidepressant. There was at least one reason for this depression. Paula Yates was facing a court battle with her ex-husband, also rock singer Bob Geldof, the custody of the three children they had together. Geldof knew did not have much chance to get custody but did it for revenge. Geldolf was the victim of adultery. This situation also left Hutchence furious. Hours before the suicide, he came to call the Irish singer who beat her phone in the face. (…) Paula, who was in London, did not hesitate to blame Geldof. ”
Bob Geldof was a singer of a rock band called Boomtown Rats (who knows this band?) He lost his wife to another singer and he was the sexy singer of INXS!! It was sad to Geldof.
In his revenge, however, Bob Geldof used the image of “holy” that was created for him with Live Aid event. He also used the image of the husband that lost his wife. He manipulated the whole story.
Hutchence and Yates had a daughter who was named Tiger Lily. Ironically, after the death of parents, the girl came to be created with the sisters under the responsibility of Bob Geldof.
The singer of Boomtown Rats was not the winner at all.
JIMMY PAGE & KEITH RICHARDS © profelipe ™
My favorite rock band is Led Zeppelin. All albums are perfect. They ended their career with the death of the drummer John Bonham.
After that, they played together somtimes – as in the marriage of Jason Bonham, the Live Aid concert or on the Atlantic Records – and they refused to use the name of the band.
Only in 2007, a special tribute, they used the name of the group and played an hour and a half. It was the event of the year in England. Mick Jagger was there to check out the show.
In the 1970s, there was a rivalry between the bands. However, in fact, Jimmy Page attended as guest of some albums by the Rolling Stones, both in the 1960s and 1980s. He has the admiration of Keith Richards.
Fortunately, I had the opportunity to see the two guitarists playing live. I saw Jimmy Page and Keith Richards sometimes in Brazil.
Regarding the Rolling Stones in 2006, I had bought tickets to see their show in Frankfurt, but I could not make the trip.
I never saw Led Zeppelin or the Yardbirds or The Firm. I never saw John Paul Jones playing live. I love his album “Zooma” and I think the song “Drum n ‘Bass” is perfect.
About The Rolling Stones, the first time I saw their concert was unforgettable. It was in Sao Paulo, a heavy rain fell and I was afraid the show be canceled. A Brazilian band (Barão Vermelho), who opened the show, tried but failed to play under the rain, because of electric shock instruments – something that did not happen with the Stones.
It was the “Voodoo Lounge” tour. Despite the rain, the band came on time and the musicians played normally, Mick Jagger, with a hat, singing, dancing and cheering the audience like a sunny day.
It was very professional, which would be confirmed in other shows I saw them. I remember, besides the music, the giant snake on stage spouting fire and the end of the show with the feast of fireworks – something that has not happened in the show of Copacabana in 2006.
The best show I saw them was in “Bridges To Babylon Tour” in Rio de Janeiro. Bob Dylan opened for the Stones and sang along with them “Like a Rolling Stone”. Perfect.
An image that has marked it was the start of the concert with all the lights off and only Keith Richards came on stage and played the opening chords of “Satisfaction.”
Finally, in the words of the band: “time waits for no one.” It was good to have lived these moments. Life can be cool sometimes…
LED ZEPPELIN & GROUPIES © profelipe ™
The musicians of Led Zeppelin were with the ” groupies ” in orgies (despite being married in England). Jimmy Page was, for example , lover of Lori Maddox when she was 14 years old .
About Led Zeppelin’s guitarist, Pamela Des Barres said :
” Jimmy carried whips and liked to inflict some damage on the girls . He also developed a habit of visiting gay clubs dressed in Nazi uniform and applied heroine being surrounded by drag queens. “
In the book ” Hammer of Gods ” appears Jimmy Page ‘s opinion about the “groupies”:
” The girls come and pose as starlets, teasing and acting arrogantly. There was no problem if you humiliate them a bit. Everyone knows what they came for.”
Saying ” it humbles you to a little” , in a way, confirms the testimony of Pamela de Barres . More than that, Jimmy Page liked to use a “Nazi SS Storm Trooper Hat ” at the Led Zeppelin’s concerts and it was accessory used in practice sadomasochism (SM).
About SM, in an interview with Tony Barrell in 2010, the guitarist said :
“I’m sure some of your readers may have flirted with the SM. ( … ) I also have an appetite for all things of this world… or not…”
In fact , Jimmy Page did not deny his interest in SM. As he said, everyone “knew what they came for.” The musicians, of course, felt free to do anything with the “groupies”.
It was the 1970s . Today, with so many restrictions on freedom of the individual , it would be difficult to find musicians and “groupies” act that way. Many musicians tried to be like Led Zeppelin (music and behavior). However, they failed.
Led Zeppelin Golden Years 1968-1980 © profelipe ™
The death of John Bonham more than the end of Led Zeppelin, it meant the end of an era.
Led Zeppelin was created by guitarist Jimmy Page and businessman Peter Grant. It came from the ashes of the Yardbirds.
John Bonham was very important in the group's style choice: heavy sound, aggressive and professionalism.
With his death, Led Zeppelin could not continue it. At the time, it was made clear in a statement published in the press:
“The loss of four dear friend, and the deep sense of harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.” (Hammer of Gods, p. 210)
It was to be the end of history.
However, over the following decades, many people most could not accept the end of the symbol of the 1970s.
First, it was media speculation. Then, over time, even the original group musicians began to play the music of Led Zeppelin in their solo careers.
The inevitable came (for the first time) in 1985. It was Live Aid. It was the greatest moment of the festival. There were two more musicians: Phil Collins (who was the Robert Plant’s drummer at the time) and Tony Thompson. There was no time to rehearsal. The historical importance of the reunion was enough.
The anniversary of 40 Years of the Atlantic was in 1988. Again, without an appropriate rehearsal, the show was not at the level of what was the Led Zeppelin in concert. Jason Bonham was on drums.
In April 1990, there was another show. This was informal because it happened at the wedding of Jason Bonham.
In June of the same year (Classic Rock, January 2001, p. 42), Plant, Page and Jones played with drummer of Faith No More (Mike Bordin) to return with Led Zeppelin. It did not work. Jimmy Page did not approve the performance of Mike Bordin.
Page and Plant also made the project "No Quatter" for MTV, but without using the name of Led Zeppelin because there was no participation of John Paul Jones.
In 2014, in his interviews to promote the new editions of the albums of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page often make it clear that he would return to play with the band, but that resistance would come from Robert Plant.
Jimmy Page explains that the success of the "Celebration Day" in 2007 was possible because of weeks of rehearsals and because the musicians wanted to erase the bad impression left by the shows in 1985 and 1988.
It was correct.
Just watch the show or listen to CDs of "Celebration Day".
Even so, you could not go on like Led Zeppelin, after all, there was no Peter Grant, the years have changed and the musicians were old (the voice Robert Plant was not the same anymore) .
Led Zeppelin existed between 1968 and 1980. It was perfect. And that was it.
LED ZEPPELIN - HOUSES OF THE HOLY © profelipe ™
Today I would like to write some words about Led Zeppelin. I take two books: “Led Zeppelin” by Florence Rajon (Paris: Prelude et Fugue, 1997) and “Hammer of Gods” by Stephen Davis.
I open the books without any ideas about what I should write about the band. Coincidentally, with no intentions, I open Rajon’s book at the page 99, when he writes about the album of “Houses of the Holy” and the other book, I open at the page of 124, when Davis writes “They worked at Electric Lady with Eddie Kramer, mixing tracks like Houses of the Holy.”
I do not worry about “déjà vu” or coincidences. For some people, it would be some kind of strange.
Then I took the lyrics of Houses of the Holy:
“From the houses of the holy
We can watch the white doves go
From the door comes Satan’s daughter
And it only goes to show, you know
There’s an angel on my shoulder
(…) Let the music be your master
Will you heed the master’s call
Oh, Satan and man”
It reminds me (immediately) the French book about Led Zeppelin: “The inside of the cover, which depicts a man carrying a child at arm’s length, as an offering made to the deity of the ruined castle, intrigued fans who recognized the ominous death of Karac Plant four years later.” In French:
“L’intérieur de la pochette, qui représente un homme portant un enfant à bout de bras, comme une offrande présentée à la divinité du château en ruine, intrigua les fans qui reconnurent le sinistre présage de la mort de Karac Plant quatre ans plus tard.” (Florence Rajon, p. 101)
There was no secret about mysticism of the group. However, there is a strange association between the image inside of the cover of the album – “a man carrying a child at arm’s length, as an offering made to the deity of the ruined castle” – and the words of the song saying: “Let the music be your master. Will you heed the master’s call? Oh, Satan and man.”
It does not mean the death of Karac Plant was the result of an image of an album or the consequence of the lyrics of a song. By the way, the music of Houses of the Holy would be appear only on the next album, Physical Graffiti.
A tragedy happens in the life of any person. Sometimes it is a mystery. But when a person is associated with mysticism, it is easier to explain the event as if it were an omen of bad luck. It was the case of Led Zeppelin.
Moby © profelipe ™
The first time I heard of Moby was in January 2000. I was in Europe. He was making his tour on the continent at that time, so it was common to see posters announcing their shows in cities.
I did not know if it was a singer or a group. I imagined that it was not rock and roll. But it was only a hypothesis.
At the time, the band Pet Shop Boys was on tour as well. I tried to go on their show in Lisbon, but I was informed (at the gym door) that had been canceled. I saw the group, years later, in a festival in São Paulo.
I never saw Moby alive. But I became a fan. I bought CDs and DVDs.
Andy Crysell (Musik Magazine, July 2000), wrote:
"Moby ruminates over the sound of Deee Lite's 'Groove Is In The Heart'. Previously Moby has talked of threesomes and bisexual encounters, gamering the unlikely reputation of a ladies' man. Or man's man. Whatever."
I saw Deee Lite in 1991 in Rio. I remember little of the show. I remember two girls in audience that, from time to time, gave autographs. I figured that would be famous at the time. They were Cuca and Maria Claudia from MTV.
Andy Crysell shows Moby as a rockstar who has sex maniac fame. It was strange.
On this same magazine, Moby explains that this was a phase. The problem was the reputation.
Moby has no sex appeal.
It's hard to imagine that a guy skinny and without "sex appeal" could be so talented and produce a music so interesting.
PINK FLOYD - LIVE AT POMPEII © profelipe ™
The "director's cut" of a movie is not (always) better than the original version. "Live At Pompeii" by Pink Floyd can be one example.
The original version does not have the old commercial appeal. That is why it represents the music of the group in that time.
The director's cut (apparently) would claim to transform "that old music" of Pink Floyd into something more "acceptable" to the general public.
The director's cut shows some images and scenes of bad taste in the movie.
There are scenes of the musicians in the studio, with some interviews.
The British believe they have a special (and maybe even sophisticated) humor. Rock musicians (at least) believe in it. They create uncomfortable situations when they try to tell some stories. Robert Plant always does it.
"Live At Pompeii", "the director's cut," found that "the gift" is not exclusive of the former lead singer of Led Zeppelin.
ROBERT PLANT: REVENGE © profelipe ™
Robert Plant, sometimes, doesn’t show respect to the past of Led Zeppelin. Why?
First, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were musicians with important works on records as groups The Rolling Stones or The Who. Jimmy Page was known for his experience with Yardbirds. When he formed Led Zeppelin, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Once, Plant said:
“(…) he was really the master of Led Zeppelin. I was just chief whip.” (Guitar World, July 1986, p. 64)
John Bonham was young but he had his own style:
“According to (Jeff) Beck, Jimmy said: “Listen to this, listen to Bonzo, this guy called John Bonham. that I’ve got.’ When Beck heard the version, his heart sink. ‘I looked at him and said: ‘Jim, what?’ and the tears were coming out with anger.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 57)
Robert Plant was young too. However, he was critized. After the first U. S. tour, “the pop critics insulted his aria-like blues wails and his prissy, hyper-masculine posing. (…) Even Jimmy wasn’t absolutely positive about Robert. Cole recalls: ‘It was a very touch-and-go thing whether Robert would even be in the group after the first tour, because he didn’t quite seem to make it up to Page’s expectation. At the time, there was a possibility he wouldn’t do another tour. That was the truth.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p.64)
Robert Plant became a sex symbol. He and Jimmy Page were the stars of Led Zeppelin. After Bonzo’s death and the end of the band, Plant started his solo project with his first record “Pictures At Eleven”:
“(…) Robert took the tapes to Jimmy Page for approval. ‘It was very emotional,’ he later told an interviewer. ‘We just sat there and I sort had my hand on his knee, We were just sitting through it together. He knew that I’d gone, that I was off on my own with the aid of other people and just forging ahead, and all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213)
John Paul Jones didn’t like “Pictures At Eleven” and he told it to Robert Plant: “Jonesy thought I could have done a lot better with the first record.” (Guitar World, p. 64)
The revenge of Zeppelin’s singer would come with the project of “No Quarter”. John Paul Jones said:
“It’s a Jimmy and Robert’s reunion. I’m sure they’ll be doing Zeppelin’s stuff, but they didn’t bother to ask me.” (Record Hunter, November 1994, p. 97)
What about Jimmy Page? The critics came to Coverdale-Page’s project. Robert Plant said:
“Page & ‘Coverdale’? It was ridiculous when ‘I’ did it…” (Vox, May 1993)
The cover of Rock World’s magazine (June 1993) was: “Zep Wars! Coverdale – Page – Plant (The interviews)” In fact, Jimmy tried to work with other musicians. Robert did it with his first record and said about Page: “(…) all I wanted him to do was to do the same thing.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 213) However, when the guitarrist tried to work, Plant didn’t respect his project.
Robert Plant said in 1993: “The idea that Led Zep would reform with Jason on the drums, though, is preposterous. What’s gone is gone.” (Vox, May 1993, p. 18) But in December 2007, he, Page, Jones and Jason did a concert with one and half hour under the name of Led Zeppelin.
“Whole Lotta Love” was one of the greatest song of the seventies (it was relesead in 1969).
The music was perfect, but there was problems with the lyrics. Robert Plant:
“‘Whole Lotta Love’ did push rock ‘n’ roll another couple of steps. If the lyric hadn’t been stolen, the music would have been lesser for it. The mistake came in not crediting Dixion.
Page’s riff was Page’s riff. It was here before anything else. I just thought, ‘Well, what am I going to sing? That was it, a nick. (…) well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That’s the game.” (Musician, June 1990, p. 47)
This is Robert Plant. What more? It’s hard to say anything about the future. Probably Led Zeppelin is on the past and it was made by four musicians and Peter Grant. The master was Jimmy Page. Plant was right about it.
Robert Plant: The Fredian Problem
Freud wrote about the importance of the father in the life of everyone. It was true about Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. On the early days, his father did not believe that Robert had a serious job. Led Zeppelin was adored by millions of people. The musicians were millionaire. All this was not enough for the father of Robert.
“When, finally, the ‘Financial times’ article appeared [about the group], Robert excitedly put his arm round Danny’s shoulder and rasped:‘My dad finally believes I’m a success. (…) Now he finally thinks I may have done the right thing not to become a chartered accountant.’” (Stephen Davis, Hammer of Gods, p. 140-141)
Unfortunately, it was not the end of the story. On the latter days, the luck of the band has changed. The son of Robert Plant died from a mysterious virus infection in 1977. His name was Karac. At that time, Robert’s father said:
“All this success and fame, what is the worth? It doesn’t mean much when you compare it to the love of a family.” (Chris Welch. The Story of Led Zeppelin. In.: HM Photo Book. London: Omnibus Press, 1983)
The young Robert Plant did not get the most important thing for him: the respect of his father. Nowadays he became an old Englishman. In 2009, Simon Cable ironically wrote a title for the Daily Mail: “Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant joins Establishment after accepting CBE from Prince Charles.” * Simon Cable wrote in the article:
“He was the bare – chested screamer who embodied the phrase sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.
Robert Plant was almost as renowned for his hellraising behaviour as for his performances with Led Zeppelin.
But old rockers never die – they just end up at Buckingham Palace.” *
Robert still sings. He is famous and rich. However, about the history of respect…
(*) Simon Cable. Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant joins Establishment after accepting CBE from Prince Charles. Daily Mail, 10 July 2009. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1198901/Led-Zeppelins-Robert-plant-joins-Establishment-accepting-CBE-Prince-Charles.html
Rock 'n' Roll: 1954-1994 © profelipe ™
Everything ends. With the rock n roll was no different. It died in 1994, with the suicide of Kurt Cobain. “That’s All Right (Mama)” by Elvis Presley was released in 1954. Ready: 1954-1994.
What happened really new after Nirvana and “Nevermind “? Famous groups (like U2 or Metallica) have become big business , with expensive concerts, real events for members of a middle class that can afford the tickets. These people are not necessarily fans of the group, those who know the albums and songs. They are “a public event ” here in Brazil, it can be a festival of country music, “axé”, ”pagode” (samba) or rock n roll .
These people buy tickets to a festival without knowing who will be the attraction. The band, which would be the reason for the event, became secondary.
People do not realize the minimal differences about musical styles. It is sad and… boring.
ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSIC: A WAY OF LIFE © profelipe ™
It is not possible to write about twenty century without talking about rock and roll music. It doesn’t mean to say it was a revolutionary movement as it happened in Russia (1917) or in Cuba (1959). The changes of rock movement were different. It changed the way of life of society.
In the fifths, it was the cold war period. One, communism, shown as dictatorship and, on other side, capitalism, mainly United States, shown as democracy. The reality, however, wasn’t that simple. Behind the American way of life there were racism, prejudice against poor people and an external politics that justified dictatorships in, for example, South America .
There would not be rock n’ roll without blues. It remembers slaves and pain. It remembers the sounds of Africaand the contradictions of the colonialism. Of course, the first great idol wasn’t Chuck Berry or Little Richards. It was Elvis Presley. Being white didn’t mean it was easy for Elvis in the fifths. In his interviews, he tried to explain rock n’ roll wasn’t a dangerous movement. It was like the American youth needed to be protected from different ideas. In the case of rock, these ideas came from black people. Rock and racism in the fifths: these problems shown another America for the world beyond that ideology of cold war. But there was one more thing: Beatnik movement. Its ideas, poetry and experiences were important to change people’s comportment.
Probably hippie movement would not be the same without new ideas from beat generation. New social movement, new idols in the sixties. They came from England: Beatles, Rolling Stones and others. With The Beatles, rock n’ roll was an international music for teenagers. They meant new way of comportment: sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. Of course, Beatles were not just songs as Love me Do. They were also known for the lyrics of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The association with LSD was clear. There were yet My Generation (The Who) and Sympathy for the Devil (The Rolling Stones).
In the sixties, rock n’ roll was not music for angels, but, at the same time, it tried to show some answers for the society. Young people lived in hippie communities, with new values and not lots of rules. Sexuality meant freedom. Feminism fought for women’s rights. There were protests against racism too. The world was changing: 1968 in France, protests in Prague (communist regime), Woodstockfestival in the U.S.A. and left movements in Latin America (trying to repeat the 1959 Cuba experience).
In fact, rock movement changed people’s comportment, but it did not change much about political relations. In the seventies, people seemed not to believe in revolution anymore. These were heavy metal and progressive music years. The music was more important than the lyrics. It was clear at the symphony sound of progressive rock and, in the other side, the ‘noise’ of the heavy metal groups. One example: Led Zeppelin. With the 5 minutes of The song remains the same, the lyrics were:
“I had a dream. Crazy Dream.
Anything I wanted, anyplace I need to go.
Hear my song. People won’t you listen now? Sing Along.
You don’t know what you’re missing now.
Any little song that you know.
Everything that’s small has to grow. And it has to grow!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain.
Honolulu star bright – the song remains the same.
Sing out Hare Hare, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are so bright, as we go sliding… sliding… sliding through.”
What does it mean? Probably nothing. The important was the sound. Robert Plant’s voice was as an instrumental in this music and the meaning of the words was not essential. Some people could rememberStairway to Heaven or Rain Song, but here, as in the most progressive songs, the lyrics were about love or mystical meanings, not about what really happened in people’s life. With punk movement, in the late seventies, it was different. They were not musicians. It was just noise. They didn’t care. The important was the lyrics, the protest against the ‘old’ rock bands (as Led Zeppelin or Rolling Stones) and the rules of capitalist society. Punk was more than music. It was a way of life. The lyrics of Anarchy in the U.K.:
“I’m an antichrist
I’m an anarquist
I don’t know what I want
But I know how I get it
I wanna destroy.”
Anarchism and rock music. Of course, this combination didn’t make punk a social movement, but, at least, it tried to put rock to what it was in the fifths: a music against rules. It was not only about the musicians. The behavior of the audience was important. It was true in the fifths and the seventies.
Punk was not the last movement of rock music – after that, there were different styles as disco music, new wave, hip hop and so on. Rock became important to the labels of music. Musicians became millionaires. Any new kind of music tried to change people’s ideas and, at the same time, it tried to make money as any capitalist industry.
By the way, it was the main problem: to use rock as protest became a way of making money. It sold almost everything: records, t-shirts, concerts, sodas… It worked as any product. Basically, rock music became mainstream. Young people of Woodstock were the parents in the eighties. They were different, of course, but rock and roll wasn’t a surprise or any symbol of protest. It was the decade of yuppies. Money was the only thing that mattered. Music as disco or new wave was their soundtrack.
In fact, lyrics of rock music never tried to show some left political views. There were some Bob Dylan’s songs, punk music and others, but they were not the majority. It doesn’t mean, however, that rock music did not changed the way of life in the second half of the twenty century.
ROCK 'N' ROLL AS SOCIAL COMMUNICATION © profelipe ™
Rock and roll was never considered a serious music. However, the approach would have to be another one. Maybe it’s not correct to consider rock and roll simply as a musical style. It would be more interesting to try to perceive it as a social movement. But, how could it be made? A possibility would be to verify the content of its lyrics and to perceive the context where they had been produced.
First, superficial lyrics had always been used for bands of rock and roll, independent of the time or the musical style. the Beatles, for example, they were known for songs as “Love me do”:
“Love, love me of / You know I love you / I’ll always be true, so please / Love me of, who-ho love me of / Love, love me of the You know I love you / I’ll always be true, so please / Love me of, who-ho love me of.”
Obviously, from the Beatles, there were more interesting lyrics as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”:
“Picture yourself in boat on to river/ With tangerine trees and marmalade skies./ Somebody calls you, you to answer quit slowly/ Girl with kaleidoscope eyes./ Celophane flowers of yellow and green, / Towering to over your head. / Look will be the girl with the sun in to her eyes and she’s gone. / Lucy in the sky with diamonds.”
This song, of course, was about drugs. It’s not possible to talk about this movement without drugs or sex. Jim Morrison – singer of The Doors – was shown as a symbol of both things. His lyrics were good. For example, “The End” shown the reality as seen by rock singer:
“He took the face from the ancient gallery / And he walked on down the hall / He went you the room where his sister lived / And then he paid visit you the his to brother / And then he walked on down the hall / And he cam you the door a, and he looked inside / “Father” – “Yes, sound” – “I want you kill you, / Mother, I want you… ” / (…) This is the end, beautiful friend.”
It had some symbolism for speaking of the desire to kill the father. It was a obvious reference of Freud and his thoughts about the relations of human beings. However, the problem is that the symbolism becomes reality: today sons kill their parents (for money, power and so on).
The sixties were known for the Love and Peace from Woodstock Festival. But there were also problems as Almont Festival, when a man was killed during The Rolling Stones concert. The were playing “Sympathy will be the Devil”:
“Please allow me you introduce myself / Why I’m man of wealth and taste / I’ve been around will be long, long to year / Stole many man’s soul and fate / I was ‘ round when Jesus Christ / Had his moment of doubt and pain / Made damn sure that Pilate / Washed his hands and sealed his fate / Pleased you meet you / Well I hope you guess my name, ah…”
These lyrics shown rock music was more than love or sex songs. However, these lyrics were used for those who said it was a bad influence for the youth. In fact, since the fifties rock and roll was shown as “the music of the devil”. Bands as Black Sabbath, in the seventies, made a new style with this idea. Black clothes and different lyrics:
“What is this that stands before me? / Black appears in which points at me / Turn around quick, and start you run/ Find out I’m the chosen one / Oh nooo! / Big black shape with eyes of fire / Telling people to their desire / Satan’s sitting there, he’s smiling / Watches those flames get to higher and to higher / Oh in, in, please God help me! / Is it the end, my friend? / Satan’s coming ‘ round the bend / People running ‘ causes they’re scared / The people to better go and beware! / In, in, please, in!”
In the decade of 1970, the rock and roll continued with the lyrics and the rhythms associating the music to the sex. However, there was one more thing: the relation of youth and the cars. T-Rex’s “Get it On”:
“You’re dirty sweet / And you my girl / Get it on / Bang gong Get it on / (…) Well you’re windy and wild / You got the blues / I’m your shoes and your stockings / You’re windy and wild oh yeah / You’re built like to car/ You got hubcap / Diamond to star halo / You’re dirty sweet / And you’re my girl.”
But the 1970 years were not only ambiguity or superficiality. There were also lyrics as “Money” from Pink Floyd.
“Money, it’s the crime / Share it fairly but don’t take the slice of my pie / Money, so they say / Evil Is the root of all today / But if you ask will be rise it’s in surprise that / They’re giving none away, away, away.”
Roger Waters put money as a “crime” or something “evil”. His critics were also in the 1979 album: “The Wall”. He used the irony to talk about educational process and the authority of the teacher:
“We don’t need in education / We don’t need in thought control / In dark sarcasm in the classroom / Teachers leave the kids alone / Hey, to teacher, leave the kids alone! / All in all it’s just to another brick in the wall / All in all you’re just to another brick in the wall.”
The critics were the objective of punk movement. They were against the “old bands” as The Rolling Stones or Led Zeppelin, because, in their opinion, they “betrayed” rock and roll. They become what kids hated: status quo. They had abandoned the revolt feeling that always was associated with the rock and roll . Punk questioned the capitalist values, dressing different clothes, using anarchist symbols or photos of Karl Marx in its jackets. “Anarchy in U.K.” of the Sex Pistols:
“Right! now ha, ha / I am an anti-Christ / I am an anarchist, / don’t know what I want / but I know how you get it. / I wanna destroy the to passer by / ‘ cos I wanna be anarchy, / Ho dogs body / Anarchy will be the UK.”
One of the symbols of seventies was the band Led Zeppelin. Theses musicians were considered the inventors of heavy metal, what the band always denied. However, its influence was determinative in the bands of hard rock and heavy metal that had appeared in the posterior decades. Its style was copied. What it called the attention was the quality technique of its musicians, the constant innovation in its records, all the work developed for the guitarist Jimmy Page. Although there were songs as “Stairway You the Heaven” and “The Rain Song”, the band’s lyrics were superficial. An example would be “The song remains the same”. Musically, it was extremely innovative, but, in more than 5 minutes of music, the lyrics were meaningless. The left impression would be that the words had been only chosen for its noise, functioning almost as a sound of a musical instrument. But there was another problem with the lyrics: sometimes, they were not original. There was, for example, a process against the band because of the lyrics of “Whole Lotta Love”. In reality, they were from a Willie Dixion’s music.
The musicians of rock had tried to use some influence of Opera. In sixties, Pete Townshend created “opera-rock” called “Tommy” (that it became a movie with musicians as Elton John and Eric Clapton and actors as Oliver Reed and Ann-Margaret). In 1975, Freddy Mercury, of the Queen, created one of the classics of the rock, using the same influences. It was “Bohemian Rhapsody”:
“Goodbye everybody – I’ve got you go? / Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth? / Breast, ooo – I don’t want you die, / I sometimes wish I’d to never been born at all? / I see little silhouetto of man, / Scaramouch, scaramouch will you of the Fandango? / Thunderbolt and lightning – very very frightening me? / Gallileo, Gallileo, Gallileo, Gallileo / Gallileo figaro – Magnifico?”
Sex was used in the rock since the fifties. The words “rock and roll” meant “making sex”. One of the bands, in 1980 years, that they had insisted on this line was the Motley Crüe. The references in the song “Girls, Girls, Girls” were clear:
“Friday night and I need fight / My motorcycle and switchblade knife / Handful of grease in my to hair feels right / But what I need you make tight ploughs me / Girls, Girls, Girls / Long legs and burgundy lips / Girls, Girls, Girls / Dancin ‘ down on Sunset Strip / Girls, Girls, Girls / Red lips, fingertips / Trick or treat – sweet you eat.”
The image of the Motley Crüe would be still associated with playmate Pamela Anderson, that had a relationship with the drummer of the band, Tommy Lee. The relation between rock stars and the supermodels would be well-known since the seventies – Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, Axl Rose and Stephanie Seymour, among others. Probably, beyond the exposition in the media, something that would explain this behavior would be the position of the musicians with their own fans. The constant parties, the “wild” life on the road and the image “bad boys” fascinated young girls. They were the “groupies” – fans that involved sexually with their idols. In this subject, the group that more created myths of “wild on the road” was the Led Zeppelin. As told by Miss Pamela, a groupie in the seventies:
“And, you know, we’d heard about Led Zeppelin, how crazy they were. (…) We heard how wild Led Zeppelin were, that they fucked everybody, a different girl every night. They had that reputation into their first tour.Absolutely!”
The stories of Led Zeppelin had been described, in details, on the book “Hammer of Gods”. In the next decade, one style called the attention: “indie” or the alternative music. One of them was “gothic rock”, with bands as The Sisters of Mercy, Bauhaus, The Cure and others. The lyrics, many times, were about death and sadness. There were still philosophical words – as “Ribbons” of The Sisters of Mercy – “I tried you tell to her about Marx and Engels” - or references about vampires and “black ages”, as “Bela Lugosi is Dead” of the Bauhaus:
“White on white translucent black capes/ back on the back/ beautiful lugosi’s dead/ the bats have left the Bell to tower/ the victims have been bled/ red velvet lines the black box/ beautiful lugosi’s dead/ undead undead undead/ the virginal brides file past his tomb/ strewn with time’s dead flowers/ bereft in deathly bloom/ alone in darkened room/ the count beautiful lugosi’s dead/ undead undead undead.”
Critical lyrics in the 1990 years: it was time for “hip hop” music. Public Enemy, for example, pointed the problems with the 911 service in the United States:
“Hit me / Going, going, gone / Now I dialed 911 long teams ago / Don’t you see how barks they’re reactin ‘ / They only eats and they eats when they wanna / (…) Everyday they don’t to never eats correct / You can ask my man right here with the broken neck / He’s witness you the job to never bein ‘ done.”
In 1990 years, a style that came from heavy metal it was “thrash”. A “faster” sound, with lyrics influenced by Black Sabbath or social critics as “Refuse/Resist” from the Brazilian group Sepultura:
“Tanks on the streets / Confronting police / Bleeding the Plebs Raging crowd / Burning cars / Bloodshed starts Who’ll be alive! / (…) Refuse/Resist Refuse.”
Still in this decade, but with a completely different style, Prodigy used techno – a dance music – with an influence from punk movement. The references on the lyrics were into to the sex or to the use of drugs, as in “Breathe” (1997):
“Breathe with me. / Breathe the pressure, / My eats play game I’ll test ya. / Psychosomatic addict, insane. / Breathe the pressure, Eats play my game I’ll test ya. / Psycho, -somatic addict, insane. / My eats play game. Inhale, inhale, you’re the victim.”
Lyrics more politics could be found in the songs of the Rage Against The Machine. They tried to raise the flag of the Third World. In one of its DVDs, they showed interviews of the intellectual Noam Chomsky andMarcus Commander. These interviews, of course, tried to show the real problems of the capitalist system. Rage’s songs were about that too. One example could be “Guerrilla Radio” (1999):
“Transmission third world to war third round / Decade of the weapon of sound above ground / In shelter if youre looking will be shade / Brutal I lick shots at the charade / The polls close like casket / On truth devoured Silent play in the shadow of to power / Spectacle monopolized.”
Many thinkers will be able to argue that all the lyrics here were “superficial stuff from teens against the status quo.” Maybe. But, it would not be possible to deny, on the other side, that its messages represent the feeling of a youth that, many times, feels without perspective in our society. In this direction, the doubts of these young people would not be so distant of the books written by the intellectuals in the universities.
Rock and Roll & The Culture Industry © profelipe ™
If the rock “was born” in 1955, it “died” with the suicide of Kurt Cobain and the end of Nirvana.
In the beginning, the rock idols n 'roll had attitudes. Their characteristics made this musical style: "sex symbol" as Elvis Presley, the rejection of the image of the "old" Bill Harley, the homosexuality Richards and the original style of singer-guitarist Chuck Berry.
Another important point was the majority of men in all the history of rock. There were not lots of rock and roll groups of women Runaways and L7 were exceptions.
Girls were the public - from the screaming teenage girls of Beatlemania to "groupies" of the 1970s.
If the rock and roll was a movement, it was sexist.
The "sex, drugs and rock n 'roll" did not change the traditional model of heterosexual couple in the decade of 1960.
The rock and roll was to young people. There was the idea that it would be good to die before I get old. In the 1960s, it was said that one could not rely on a person over 30 years.
The rock and roll idols could not be fat.
The self-destruction created myths as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain.
The deaths usually were associated with overuse of drugs (Hendrix and Joplin), excess alcohol (Bon Scott and John Bonham) or even to suicide (Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain).
The rock and roll was considered a rebel movement. It was a police matter. Several arrests were made, such as Keith Richards and Jim Morrison.
Nowadays, nobody takes this premise of "rebel" seriously. A rock star becomes millionaire. There is nothing wrong with that, in the eyes of the public and the media.
The punk movement leaders tried unsuccessfully to rescue the figure of the "revolt" on the rock and roll.
The self-destruction leads to depression. Gothic Rock was in charge of carrying out such a flag. Black clothes, excessive makeup, serious look or sad, suicide praise, coldness, indifference were some of the characteristics of these musicians and their followers. It was Joy Division, with the leadership of Ian Curtis. The group was followed by bands like The Sisters of Mercy, Siouxsie and The Banshies and The Cure.
Velvet Underground and even the punk movement, somehow influenced the Gothic Rock.
The rock and roll was always a simple song, “the three chords music.” However, it could be simpler. So it came the superficial "pop music".
It was pure commercial music who fakes a "pose rock n 'roll." Examples are Duran Duran, Eurythmics, B-52's, Tears For Fears, A-ha, among others.
Anyway, the rock and roll was the music of the second half of the twentieth century. It was the time of the “cold war”.
This style was also identified with narcissism, individualism and the superiority. It was the time of the superstars.
Rock and roll was also contradictory. Elvis was a symbol of rebellion. But he was also a nationalist, married and served in the army. He was a white idol of a song created by black people.
Even today, especially in heavy metal style, there is racism in rock and roll.
Rebellion against the system? When? Where?
In fact, rock and roll produces alienation. It became part of the culture industry.
SEX PISTOLS
The punk happened between 1975 and 1979. Sex Pistols was the symbol of the movement. The place was England.
Despite the impact on the history of rock, everything happened very quickly.
In late 1975, under the guidance of Malcolm McLaren, John Lydon (Johnny Rotten), Paul Cook, Steve Jones and Glen Matlock started the rehearsals.
They did the first show in November at St. Martin's College (Vox, September 1995, p . 64).
They made several shows in English colleges. They played covers of The Small Faces and The Who and they created their own songs.
In April 1976, after seeing the Pistols, Joe Strammer left the his own group and he created the Clash.
In May, a fan in the audience, Sid Vicious, became a symbol of the movement. He would play bass on the Sex Pistols.
Until then, however, despite the fame, the musicians were not satisfied. John Lydon:
"The tour was characterized by fights and no money. It was a nightmare." (Vox, September 1995, p. 64)
In October, the musicians signed a contract with record label EMI, which would later be canceled because of the scandals of the band.
In November, it was the time for "Anarchy In The UK":
"I'm an antichrist
I'm an anarchist
I do not know what I want
But I know how I get it
I wanna destroy."
In December 1976, the musicians (of Sex Pistols) would shock quite the conservative population on TV show.
It was the time for "Anarquy Tour of The UK", with Sex Pistols, Clash, Damned and Heartbreakers.
In 1977, the Pistols were signed to Virgin Records and they released "God Save The Queen" in May.
In October, it released the album "Never Mind Bollocks".
The US tour was in January 1978. Nothing has changed. The confusion continued. In one show, the bassist Sid Vicious said to the public:
"You cowboys are all a bunch of fucking fagots!"
One guy in the audience reacted and he was attacked by Vicious with his bass. The boy was removed from the show by police.
On January 14, the Pistols would play their last show.
Paul Cook and Steve Jones traveled to Rio de Janeiro. Sid Vicious was hospitalized because of heroin use. John Lydon went to New York, saying he did not sing more with the Pistols. It was the end.
In 1978, Sid Vicious was arrested, charged with the murder of her girlfriend. In 1979, he died of a heroin overdose.
John Lydon created another band, Public Image Ltd (PIL).
They did another tour once. They played in Brazil.
That was it.
Sting © profelipe ™
Yesterday, at the Tabacaria, I listened the entire album "Bring On The Night".
You can not deny that the first solo album of Sting is a masterpiece. He gathered only frontline musicians and created an amazing band with Branford Marsalis, Darryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland and Omar Hakim.
Sting knew he was doing something special, so he made a film of the whole process of creation and development of the project. The movie is great and is also called "Bring On The Night".
For me, "Bring On The Night" was a gift from my best friend at the time. However, in a bar, on the same night, I lent the album to another friend. I never saw my gift again.
THE SISTERS OF MERCY - VISION THING © profelipe ™
The Sisters of Mercy has officially released only three albums, two compilations, one EP and several singles.
In recent years, with the decline of the CDs, the group failed to release records. The musicians chose to do concerts and show new songs in the festivals.
Everything is available on the official website, including previously unpublished videos.
The last official album, "Vision Thing", had a tour that began in Brazil in 1990. There were great shows (I saw one in São Paulo and two in Rio).
About the album, Charles M. Young wrote an objective and interesting critique in the Playboy (October 1991):
"The Sisters of Mercy (...) call the President of United States a motherfucker in the title song of 'Vision Thing' (Elektra). Now, that's getting to the point! Lyrically and musically, the energy emanates from the dark side but in ultimately liberating, because The Sisters (who are mostly Andrew Eldritch) can name and locate the darkness accurately and poetically. Yeah, I suppose they're Gothic, but there's a lot more to these guys than dressing in black."
Critics wrote about the Sisters of Mercy in the Melody Maker or sometimes in the New Musical Express. The text of the Playboy was to another audience that do not know what is called “alternative music”.
Charles M. Young wrote with objectivity to describe the group and last album. Since then, I started to pay more attention in the writings of Young. As for the band, I was a fan and I still like the work of Andrew Eldritch.
THE SISTERS OF MERCY & PATRICIA MORRISON © profelipe ™
The album “Floodland” is a classic and it was basically made with the bass of Patricia Morrison. Andrew Eldritch had worked with her in the Sisterhood. There was no tour to the “Floodland”. For what would be the next album, “Vision Thing”, there will be not only promotional videos. By the way, there was a new member in the band: guitarist Andreas Bruhn.
The first shows would be in Brazil in 1990. Of the five shows, I saw three, one in São Paulo and two in Rio This means that I almost saw Patricia Morrison perform live (the dream of every fan).
However, Eldritch had other plans. He would make an album based on guitar sound and no on bass – which angered many people. Andreas Bruhn was the “guy”. Patricia Morrison resigned and it was called for her place – revolt! – the hated Tony James, former frontman of the “fake” Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
The formation that played on the album and that came to Brazil were the three and yet the guitarist Tim Brechno (ex-All About Eve) and, of course, Doktor Avalanche.
Tony James also was fired during the “Vision Thing” tour. There was no another bass player. This would be a job to Doktor Avalanche.
The group had several formations after this. I saw The Sisters again in 2006, in Rio de Janeiro. The bass sound was made by Doktor Avalanche. On some songs, however, one of the guitarists played the bass. The concert was, as always, pretty good.
THE ROLLING STONES - INSPIRATION TO CREATE MUSIC © profelipe ™
Keith Richards, despite the fame and all the beautiful melodies created for the Rolling Stones, had his own words about inspiration: he used to say that he would only be a "middleman" who receive the music from somewhere. In "Satisfaction", for example, he said that the melody would have appeared in a dream. When he awoke, of course, he just made the music. John Lennon, in his last interview, had another theory:
"[The Rolling Stones] want a song and we went to see what kind of stuff they did. Paul had a snippet of a song and we sang for them. They said, 'OK, it's our style’. But it was really only an excerpt, both Paul and I went to a corner of the room and completed the song while they were there, chatting. We went back to Mick and Keith, who said: 'My God, look at this. They were there and already finished'. We gave the music for them. A handout. This shows the importance we attached to them. We would not give them something that is really good, right? It was the first album the Stones. Anyway, Mick and Keith said: 'If they can make a song so easily, we can try’. " (The 30 Best Playboy Interviews)
Still on the way to create the songs, in the case of Keith Richards, there is another important thing. It is about the inspiration associated with drugs. That was clear at the time of production of their masterpiece "Exile On Main Street":
"Day after day, Keith gets stoned and delay in the bathroom upstairs - meanwhile, Mick and the rest of the Rolling Stones sit, waiting. Mick can do nothing to force Keith to create new melodies for which can compose the lyrics. Mick depends on Keith. Likewise, without the help of Mick, Keith has no way to finish the album on which the Stones are working. No album and… the Stones can not be touring in the United States. Without the money they will earn, they have no way to survive as a band." (Robert Greenfield, Memory of Exile, Rolling Stone)
Composing was not simple. It was not easy to rely on others, especially in a rock group. However, the double creation of the Rolling Stones surpass the Beatles in terms of longevity. Good or bad, after more than 50 years, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are still around, creating new songs and doing shows together.
U2 "ELEVATION TOUR" PARIS 2001
I was in Paris in July 2001. I was married at the time. The "Elevation Tour" did not come to Brazil.
The musicians wanted to do a different show from mega structure used in the "PopMart Tour" (I saw this show at Morumbi in São Paulo).
They did not wanted to play in stadiums.They prefered to play in places as Madison Square Garden.
In Paris, they played at the Palais Omnisports.
It was to be only one show and, of course, the tickets were sold out.
Reading a magazine in the city, I discovered that the group was going to do another show at the Palais Omnisports. I thought, "it does not hurt to try to find some tickets". So we went to a Virgin Megastore and we bought the tickets. The plan worked. No problem.
Arriving at the Palais Omnisports, another good surprise: there were no queues. It was a super quiet and small place.
We could see the musicians (very) close - especially since there was a huge heart that was connected to the main stage where The Edge and Bono spent most of the time.
It was a wonderful show with all the "hits" of the band and yet with the new ones: "All That You Can not Leave Behind" as the beautiful "Beautiful Day", "Walk On", "Elevation" and "Stuck in a Moment ".
S.F. OLIVEIRA (2014) Good Times: Rock and Roll Years. http://goodtimesrnr.weebly.com/
© profelipe ™