Rolling Stones, Rice Krispies, and Turnip Greens

The topic of getting the Rolling Stones signed up to do a jingle for Heinz beans in 1966 came up in a TV episode last night. The idea sounds preposterous, but they actually did a jingle for Rice Krispies cereal in 1963, watch it above. A pretty bizarre concept if you think about it now, because if there were a list of things that would be associated with getting up in the morning, this band would not appear on it. However, this episode (of Mad Men) deals with the NYC Stones show of July 1966 when they were touring for an album that DID have a song that included perfume, turnip greens, pork and beans and citified high heels, all in the first verse. "Down Home Girl," have a listen. Oh man, do I love the early Stones? Yes, I do.

Classic Rockers

Here's your soundtrack for this post. It's a driving, beautiful, electric instrumental from Peter Frampton, who we saw at ACL-Live on Tuesday. Amazingly, and despite his cuteness as a youngster, I only became a fan of PF within the last 2 decades. The other time we saw him was in the late 1990's in Carly Simon's club up at Martha's Vineyard, a pretty small place where I saw the show from my favorite spot - with my arms resting on the stage. Close. Not only can he sing and play the guitar, he loves the audience, engages them one-on-one all the time, and he's funny. Good show. No doubt.

The other event happening in the ACL-Live venue (which is called The Moody Theater) is an exhibit of some of photographer Jim Marshall's most famous shots. Click here for his website and then click on the 'iconic' link at the bottom. There you will see a lot of the ones hanging in the gallery. They also have a few giant ones that are used as wallpaper, or in the case shown with Mick here, wrapped around a column. A delight!

I am still trying to recover from staying up until midnight on a Tuesday, then getting up at 4:30AM for work. Like Frampton, most of the people in the audience, and the subjects of the photo exhibit who are still living, I am getting up there. This week I experienced my first Senior Discount. The 20-something at the cash register (poor thing) asked me if I might qualify for the discount. I said no, but then he said it was 55. Oh well. I do look 55. That's because I'm older than that and don't mind admitting it. (I'm no lady, that's why.)

And it's past my bedtime.

Do You Feel Like I Do?

Look who's 65.

If you had your bets on Keith Richards not reaching another birthday, you just lost. Keef turns 65 today.

1988 - "What's the most important thing in your life?"

Ronnie Wood said in his book that Keith just made up that stuff about having his blood replaced just to shock the press. I'll bet the story about snorting his father is the same deal. Craig Ferguson has a pretty funny take on it.

Blind Willie and Cooder in Paris

Dark Was the Night (Cold Was the Ground)

These are two tracks from "Music by Ry Cooder," a double disk of music that Ry Cooder has done for movies.

Paris, Texas

Greenhouse

I thought about them when Utah Savage said she was born in Paris, Texas. These tracks were done respectively for the movie of the same name, and for "Blue City". I have a vague memory of the former and have not seen the latter.

The music starts out with a mood more than anything, lots of textures and imagery. About at 2:30 into "Paris, Texas", he weaves in his signature riff, called "Dark Was the Night, (Cold Was the Ground)." This is from the old traditional blues piece from the legendary Texan, Blind Willie Johnson, (Sounds like a made-up blues name, doesn't it?) and Ry Cooder has woven it into what must be dozens of his own recordings.

"Greenhouse" is one of the most wonderfully lowdown and mean offerings of blues guitar that I've ever heard. It makes me squint my eyes, shake my hair while my hands grip with white knuckles and toes curl up. It's not so good for driving. Best-case scenario, I get lead-footed and end up where I'm going faster. The track also features a fierce tambourine. Yes, that's right. Tambourines can go over to the dark side, if in the right hands, and make you wail and moan. This music is haunting.

Ry Cooder has always been one of my favorite guitarists. Back in the late 60s he was practically a Rolling Stone, he was such in integral part of their sound, and in 1970 he backs up Mick Jagger in the movie "Performance," Check out "Memo From Turner" -- a real scorcher.

LINKS:
[Blind Willie Johnson wiki]
[A good article on Blind Willie Johnson]
[Ry Cooder wiki]

Tags: Music - Ry Cooder - Texas - Texas Music

The Circus never ends

We went to see the new Scorsese Stones film, Shine a Light, which we saw in IMAX format. That's the best way to see it, I think. My $0.25 review is that the Stones put on one hell of a show. Scorsese tries to keep you up on the stage as though the viewer is part of the band, and there are pros and cons to that -- you don't get the audience view that much, and since it was IMAX you see HUUUGE people in extreme closeups. That part bothered MrB more than it did me. My nitpick is that Scorsese chose a Bill Clinton fundraiser event for the filming, so the audience seemed almost "planted" -- maybe not the diehards that would normally be in the house -- front rows full of pretty young women, the Clintons plus all the VIPs and high-rollers, I thought they were less enthusiastic than regular fans would have been -- just my impression. Do it with a real audience. Anyway, that part bothered me more than it did MrB. Scorsese himself is in this, and he is an absolute hoot!

The guest appearances were great! Buddy Guy and Christina Aguilera!! Wow!! Jack White too. I liked all of them with this band much better than a few of the other guest stars I've seen with the Stones, people who will not be named here (I hate being torched for naming names).

We hadn't had enough, so we went over to Waterloo Records for their sale, and picked up the Rock and Roll Circus DVD. Now, if you are a fan of music circa 1968, don't miss this one. You can see a lot of it on YouTube if you look for it. It was not released until 1996, and part of it was reportedly rescued from a trash can. Arguably, it shows many of the bands during their prime, but for some reason the Stones blocked the release. Either Mick didn't like his performance or thought the Who was better than they were... who knows... (no pun intended). It was a TV show with an invited audience and incredible lineup -- it was a party. There was Jethro Tull, Taj Mahal and a stunning Marianne Faithfull. The Who were just pre-Tommy and put on an amazing performance. Just classic. The DVD extras include a modern interview with Townshend.

There was a super-group (called "Dirty Mac" made up of John Lennon, Eric Clapton (wearing a nice sweater that looks that his grandma knitted it for him), Keith Richards (on bass) and Mitch Mitchell (of Jimi Hendrix Experience) playing Yer Blues (from the brand-new White Album)! [Bootleg linkage: The Dirty Mac Sessions]

The Stones were promoting their new release, Beggar's Banquet (jeez, I am feeling old), and I loved their performances. Mick seemed a little more stoned than usual, but absolutely electrifying -- and he does writhe on the floor of the catwalk and pulls off his shirt during "Sympathy". mmmm. It was also the last appearance of Brian Jones before his death. In fact, there are so many folks in this that are no longer with us, it makes me sad.


Tags: Rolling Stones - Lennon

Keef - kicking ass for 64 years

If you've still got Keith Richards in your Dead Pool, you are likely to be a loser again. Today Keith turns 64 years old. Last year, he had a brush with the bad boy when he fell out of a coconut tree, but it was a mild concussion and before we knew it he was back out there on the road. He's been so resilient that almost seems invincible. Here's a pic I took last year when the band came through Austin.
And here's one taken by Ross Hamilton, who was standing next to me at the West Palm Beach Festival 1969. Ain't it a beauty? My first Stones show, and with the Austin one last year, one where I had a front rail.


Here's a pretty cool video where an artist does a sketch of Keith to the tune of "You Got The Silver"

Keith's guitar is still on top, but his talking has gone a bit slurry over the years, to say the least. Here's a hilarious bit from YouTube that you will have to click to view because they won't let it be embedded. Rock on Keith, and hope you've got satisfaction at last.

Keith Richards website
Keith wiki

Tags: Rolling Stones - Keith Richards

Fame reduced to 3 seconds

There we are... the Blueberries... in our 3 second cameo in the live Rolling Stones DVD that was released on Tuesday! (My digital A/V skills and software tools are a bit lacking, hence the relatively low-tech "screen shot".) I figured we'd probably end up in it. We were on the front rail and standing next to someone in a motorized wheelchair. The cameras is looking for something interesting, something non-generic, and she got even more attention when she asked the concert promotors standing in the photo pit (the guys who brought this show to town also do the Austin City Limits Festival and Lollapalooza) if they were going to stand there for the whole show because they were blocking her view! It worked! They not only moved, they were very nice to her, bringing her guitar picks and making sure everything was OK for the rest of the show. Good for her!! Good for us too. I hate it when people block my view. More on the DVD and Austin.

It's become almost a joke that we keep turning up in concert videos. Back in 2004, my face appears for a couple of seconds on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival video. Coincidentally, I show up right after Eric Johnson plays (my favorite guitar player! How could they have known? )

The last one where we got face time is Willie Nelson's Tsunami Relief (Austin to Asia) DVD. Again we were on the front rail, and standing next to someone in a motorized wheelchair! This time it was a celebrity, a local legend if you will, it was Liz Carpenter. She was at work on a book about Bobbie Nelson, Willie's sister who plays the piano. She wasn't familiar with all the performers who played that night, and after Joe Ely played she commented to us that she didn't know who he was but he sure did sweat a lot. Don't tell Joe she said that. It wasn't unkind, just an observation.

We turn up in the extra features of Los Lonely Boys Texican Style DVD, standing at the front of the crowd at Waterloo Records. Then there seem to be countless little preserved snippets in other concert videos or TV coverage where we know that's the back of our heads or my hand waving or something. I've decided that it's just our job. Need a couple of old-timers to be colorful in the front row of your live video? Just let us know. We'll squeeze you in somehow if you can squeeze us in. (and a tight squeeze it can be.)
;-)

Tags: Music - Austin - Rolling Stones - Clapton

Aftermath

The doors were supposed to be at 3:00 (ended up being at 4:00) for the show at Zilker Park, and mostly general admission, so people showed up earlier for line sitting than they normally would have (being as it was a Rolling Stones show, the biggest rock and roll production in the world, and not just one of our local bands). Normally people here just show up when the gig starts, so early birds like me can invest an extra hour and get a stageside spot, front and center.

I was the 4th person there on Sunday, the first one being an over-nighter who came over from Japan for the 2 Texas shows and had spend the night in the park. Really nice fellow (you get acquainted with people while line-sitting). My friend arrived soon after I did, and Mr. Blueberry in a few hours. It was cold if you're used to Central Texas - in the 50s in the morning with a strong wind blowing.

Didn't know how they would have the line set up and turns out, there was no "line". For some reason, instead of lining us up in turnstiles (which were already assembled) they chose to allow a huge throng to assemble pressed against a barricade some 20 yards from the entry turnstiles. (Who brought the brain?)

At 4:00 pm the guy with the bullhorn told us that when they took the barricade sections apart, that we were not to go anywhere until one of the yellow jacketed security turned it sideways They also laid out some BS about not running and proceeding to the frisking lanes in an orderly fashion. Not gonna happen, dude. It was a combination of the starting gates at the Kentucky Derby and the bucking bronco pens at the rodeo. When the sections were turned we on the front line all went like bats out of hell!!

Here's where it all turned into the great land grab where only the fittest survive. We put Mr. B in front since he was the fittest of the 3 of us and nobody was to stop and wait for anyone! The run was about a quarter of a mile from the gates to the stage, and I was totally huffing and puffing after a few sprints. I don't run. I've never run, even in high school I could barely make it around the track. I can stand or walk for hours, but running doesn't happen.

Luckily Mr. B got a great spot on the front row on the right side middle and I joined him there. My friend decided to stay a bit back since she was next to the passage of conveyor-driven b-stage that goes down the center. Here's a pic from the paper (links for more at bottom) of the luckies who grabbed my first choice of spots. Notice that they are not in their 50s. Not complaining though - we got a front row for the Rolling Stones! (It's my second time for that, the first time was in 1969)

The on-stage seating (for ~$650) is in the towers, see the little people sitting in there?

The show was absolutely fantastic. There is no show on earth like the Stones. I would nominate them to be a candidate for Replacement Wonders of the World. (I know... they won't be around forever... but neither were the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Colossus of Rhodes!). I actually got some pictures, and Mick's brother Chris Jagger was in town for a film festival and will be producing a DVD of the show. We will be in it, I'm pretty sure.

Quite a few people had to be hauled out of the crowd over the front fence by security - some for behavior problems, some for medical, some a little of both I imagine! It was so sad - several of them were older ladies in their Rolling Stones t-shirts - looking very ill, and sad too I'm sure - that they went through the whole ordeal of the line (not to mention the $100 ticket) and stampeding like a herd of buffalo to the stage only to have to miss the show!

I like this backlit picture I took of Keef.

While they were playing, some group of VIPs came down and stood right in front of us in the photo pit - generally partying and looking permanent. The guy on my left finally asked them how they were able to be standing there, and after a couple of wisecracks like "we paid $75,000 for this special package yada yada" he said that they were the people who put on the ACL Festival (and he could have added "Lollapalooza, and the Stones show you're watching now"). It was the Charlies (Attal, Jones et al, Capital Sports, etc.)

Oh... okaaay.

Then the woman who was on our right (not knowing who they were or caring) got the attention of one of them and said "I'm in a wheelchair and you're blocking my view. Are you going to stand there for the whole show?" heh heh... Actually that worked out very well, because they not only moved out of our way but they made sure she was doing fine for the rest of the night - even brought her a handful of Stones guitar picks!

My friend did not have a very good time. The guy next to her, after boring her with drunken tales of family problems, peed on her shoes-- not once, but twice! Also the b-stage was too high to able to see very well as it went by, so it was all disappointing for her.

Awesome Texan sax player Bobby Keys there on the far right. He's been with the band for about 38 years, give or take...

Not disappointing for us though... an awesome night... no more serious consequences than a rowdy rude woman spilling beer on us, and a helluva sunburn/windburn left as a reminder. Waiting for that DVD.

LINK: Austin American Stateman newspaper coverage and gallery

EDIT: Here's the setlist:
Rolling Stones Austin Setlist 10/22

You Got Me Rocking
Let's Spend The Night Together
She's So Cold
Oh No Not You Again
Sway
Bob Wills Is Still The King
Streets Of Love
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Bitch
Tumblin' Dice
Learning The Game
Little T&A
Under My Thumb (to b-stage)
Get Off My Cloud
Start Me Up
Honky Tonk Woman (from b-stage)
Sympathy For The Devil
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Satisfaction
You Can't Always Get What You Want
Brown Sugar

Tags:- Music - Austin - Texas - Rolling Stones - Stones -

Exile in Zilker Park

Tomorrow is the big day for the Rolling Stones' Bigger Bang tour stop in Austin! I am pretty excited, really. Yesterday we went over to Zilker Park to see the progress they were making on the stage construction. Above is the rather boring picture of it taken from the back. Tomorrow it will be transformed into the monster you see below, taken somewhere last year. (click to enlarge)

Wow! Set the park on fire!!

I will be away from the computer all day tomorrow, sitting in line like a nut. Oh well. It IS the Rolling Stones... AND it's general admission. There will be a couple of after-shows (at Antone's and the Continental Club) that are likely to have one or more of the visiting royalty in attendance, but for me those will not happen - they will be overcrowded, too $$$ or both. Ian McLagan will be opening, which I am tickled about. Los Lonely Boys are also opening. I wish it was just Mac and not Los Boys, actually.

My jobs are going to be hitting me pretty hard for a couple of weeks, so I will post as often as I can, but probably not as much as I'd like.

- Music - Austin - Texas - Rolling Stones -

Old Rubber Lips

This is birthday of Mick Jagger, he's 63 and seems to be fit as a fiddle. He's in fantastic shape, and watching him is still a guilty pleasure. This is my ink drawing I did about 30 years ago, give or take. My ultimate Stones show, 1969, West Palm Beach, stageside. Also saw them twice the same day in 1972 (in their prime as some would say) and a couple of other times since. They are coming to Austin for sure, it's confirmed. I guarantee we won't be this close. I'm expecting the "cheap seats" to be in the $60 range if other shows on the tour are any indication. Bring the binoculars. A telescope wouldn't hurt.

The title, "Old Rubber Lips" comes from the nickname given to Mick Jagger's character "Turner" in the movie "Performance". He played an eccentric, semi-retired rock star. Stretch, huh? Check it out sometime. It's a wonderful old cult classic and has absolutely great Ry Cooder guitar all through it.

- Music - Austin - Texas - Stones - Rolling Stones -

...thinking of Brian Jones, deceased.

I remember hearing that he died. I was at the Atlanta Pop Festival in 1969 and it was July 4th. Let it Bleed had just been released and they were playing it over the loudspeakers in the non-stage areas, it was incredibly good. Then they announced that Brian had died on the 3rd. He was 27 years old.

He was probably my biggest teenage crush, although John Lennon was first. Man, can I pick 'em? John was murdered, and Brian Jones was more than likely murdered as well. His "Death by Misadventure" will never be truly solved, and he certainly wasted and ruined enough by substances to have been his own victim. When you are too stoned and messed up for Keith Richards to put up with... well... although Keith's real beef probably had more to do with a woman (Anita Pallenberg, who later married Keith).

Brian created the Rolling Stones, it was his band that the others joined, and he thought up the name. He was innovative in adding unheard-of instruments to rock music in radical new ways, and making it work. He was also a fashion pioneer, and was largely responsible for inspiring the wild 60s fashion trends (starting it early enough to have inspired The Beatles). This was my drawing from a picture of him at the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967.

Jim Morrison wrote a poem for Brian after his death. July 3rd is also the death anniversary of Jim Morrison. There are those who believe that he is not, in fact, dead... that he faked his death, and I've heard some speculation that the day July 3rd was not just a coincidence. Morrison was also 27. (27 was apparently a tough age to get past, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix also died at age 27.)

Poor, tragic Brian. I always wonder who really could have saved him.

- Music - Brian Jones wiki - Rolling Stones -