Thank You R.E.M.

A couple of days ago R.E.M. announced that they were breaking up. That they were calling it a day as a band.

"A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it... I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way." Michael Stipe, from the band's website.

It was a bit of a sad day for me. Sure I was struggling with a cold on the day that the news broke which did not make the day easier. It was sad day for me to see one of my favorite bands say that they were no longer going to write, create, perform and distribute their talents, skills and message. Despite the sadness I understand. Thirty one years as a band does deserve a happy ending. Though I cannot make any proclamations on the state of the band at the current moment I can say that it is hard to deny their success and the scope of their reach over the past three decades.

I first got turned onto R.E.M. as a young teenager. Around the mid 90's when Automatic For The People was released. I didn't become a die hard fan until 1998 when they released their first album as a trio, Up. I was one of those teenage kids who found refuge in their brand of pop music.  I don't care if it has become cliche, something used in countless movie or television shows but "Everybody Hurts" is a very supporting and uplifting song. I have a lot of great memories and personal connections to friends, past girlfriends that won't talk to me and some past girlfriends that do, and family to R.E.M. music. One of my favorite rock moments was seeing the band perform on a surprisingly chilly night in southern Florida at the Langerado festival in March 2008.

As a teenagers, I hadn't heard much of the 80's R.E.M. other than some of the hits. There are people who believe that the band peaked with their very first album Murmur in 1982. I don't agree.  Since 1982, R.E.M. has released 15 albums not including greatest hits and live recordings. That is quite a workload, matched by few in rock history and matched by even fewer in American rock history.

While many other bands of their era faded out, broke up or lost relevance years and years ago, R.E.M. stayed afloat, took giant steps towards granduer, hit a couple of pitfalls, lost a founding band member to retirement on the sole condition the band would continue to make music without him, stumble and rise again. Other bands of the earlier 80's were defined by the 80's and that is not so with R.E.M.

The greatest achievement other than the millions and millions of record sales, the giant world tours, the awards and so on is that R.E.M. never stopped evolving as a band. It's hard to pin down a signature
R. E.M. sound. Sure there is an intricacy about how Mike Mills played bass and a unique subtlety to Peter Buck's guitar playing rarely found in American popular rock but it's hard to define their sound. Sure, it's hard to pin point the sound of their earlier records because they don't sound like country (but they do), they don't sound like 50's classic rock (but they do), they didn't sound like the current alternative rock of the era (probably a good thing), it wasn't old but it wasn't new, but it was refreshing and familiar all at the same time. It's hard to find a band in the 90's that changed and adapted their sound more than R.E.M., as the band refused to be defined by what was current or popular.  Probably the most signature thing about the band is Michael Stipe. As Eddie Vedder said about Michael Stipe during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, "he can be direct, he can be completely abstract, he can hit an emotion with pin point accuracy or he can be completely oblique and it all resonates." But other than his poetics, the most defining and underrated thing about Stipe was his voice. Though it may not be the prettiest voice it is a definitive one. The saddest thing about shows like American Idol is that a voice like his would never succeed and that is a great shame about the music industry today. A tragedy the music industry seems perfectly fine with neglecting.

R.E.M. has had an influence on bands like Nirvana, Radiohead, Pavement, the Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow and countless others. They also had a giant influence on me.

thank you R.E.M.

My Top 5 R.E.M. Albums
1. Automatic for the People
2. Document
3. Reckoning
4. Up
5. Murmur

Top 10 R.EM. Songs
1. The One I Love
2. Nightswimming
3. Orange Crush
4. Bang and Blame
5. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
6. Walk Unafraid
7. Losing My Religion
8. Finest Worksong
9. Find the River
10. Accelerate

To the NFL, the Players and the Fans

What do you think about the NFL lockout?

If you are fan you probably think it is pretty dumb. I do. I find it hard to understand the plight of players playing a game, a physical game nonetheless but play a game for large sums of money and still want more. I have a hard time sympathizing with owners who make millions to produce a football team and a game yet still want more. There are countless others who wish they could be in their shoes and in this day in age, it is hard to look at any of this as other than greed.

I understand that is a very simplistic view of the lockout but what about the fans? How does a lockout help the fans? How do the players demanding more and the owners demanding more help the fans? Does it make ticket prices cheaper? No, not likely. Does it make the cost of a hot dog and beer cheaper? No, not likely. Does it make foam fingers or fan jerseys cheaper? No, not likely either. In fact none of this lockout nonsense will make anything about the game cheaper or more accessible.

A friend suggested that the lockout allows teams to put a better product on the field. A better product on the field is better for the fans. Sounds good but I don't think that is a guarantee. If an organization has more money to spend on the team that doesn't mean that money will be spent. If an owner has more money to spend on free agents that doesn't mean the right players will be chosen to field a better team. It seems like a very lofty argument.

In the end, the owners and players were willing to gamble with something that is not entirely theirs to play with... the game of football. Who adheres to our demands? Oh, wait, do we, the fans have demands? Unfortunately not. Unfortunately the fans are not united or unionized. We cannot stop watching the games. We cannot stop checking news reports to see whether or not the lockout is over. We cannot stop checking tweets from players about this or that, whether or not the tweet has any relevance to the situation. We cannot stop, even for a second to hate football, the league or the players. We are just glad to have it all back. Thank goodness the NFL has come back! Hooray for Sundays, the occasional Thursdays and Saturdays too! Hooray for fantasy football and tail gating. Hooray!

But again. What about the fans? Should the our admiration be restored simply by rewarding us with a full season of football? As the saying goes; Baseball is our past time but Football is our passion. Why can't we be passionate about the mistreatment of the owners and players towards the fans? Why can't the fans simply say no. Why can't we band together and remind them, the owners and the players that neither side is anything without the fans? How do we do this? I have no idea but I have suggestions that are outside the realm of reality. My favorite idea is simply boycotting a preseason game. Yeah, why not? No one likes preseason anyway. If the NFL makes $200-$250 million per week off the preseason, why not boycott a week to remind the NFL and all associated that without the fans the league is nothing.

I think the owners, players and league has forgotten that notion but at the same rate the fans have forgotten to stand up for themselves. When we look back at all of this, it will be a crisis averted moment and no one will ask how anything about how the game was made better for the people who buy the tickets, the popcorn, ball caps, paint the caravans in team colors, cheer their teams for generations and generations, and love the game of football.

Thanks U2.

Imagine you want to go to a show. You spend almost 2 hours in traffic trying to get to the stadium. You park for more money than the usual baseball game that typically occurs in the stadium. You talk to scalpers who have nothing cheaper than a $150 ticket. The cheapest ticket sold for this concert was 1/3 that price. You meet scalper after scalper with tickets ranging from $150 - $400. You cannot afford that much money.

One guy who looked like Roger Federer plus an extra fifty pounds tries to sell you a ticket for $250. He doesn't believe that you cannot afford the ticket because after all, according to him, you, look like Tom Cruise. (Feel free to check out Me, Tom Cruise and My Mother's Vindication) Unfortunately being a third rate Tom Cruise doesn't pay you anything. Apparently looking like a fourth rate Roger Federer doesn't pay either.

Imagine, After a while, you meet a guy in a powder blue polo shirt looking for not just one ticket but four! You chat about previous shows you've seen and how crazy some of the scalpers are for the high prices they are trying to pass as legit. Every now and then, the two of you find yourself at the same gate with looks of desperation and bewilderment.

You walk around the park to kill some time, searching for hope and a little luck. You talk to the rock gods and ask for a little help and inspiration. It's been two hours of waiting and no luck. With hope fleeting you find yourself back at the main entrance at the ticket booth but no luck. Then a small crowd emerges at the main entrance. Packed like packing peanuts they are shoving to get inside. You see your powder blue polo wearing friend inside the stadium and it hits you... SOMEONE IS GIVING OUT GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS TO THE SHOW!!!!!

You get in for free and get to stand 200 feet away from your favorite band.

That was last night. It was awesome. How did it happen? I don't know. Were the rock gods listening? Did they relay a message to Bono, the Edge, Adam and Larry in which they were told of my sadness and dismay thus commanding someone to get the stranded into the show? Probably not but it's fun to think about it that way. Most likely a radio station was giving away extra tickets or their was more room available in the general admission area than expected so someone suggested that we get another 50 or so people in the stadium so they can spend more money. I'll stick to the myth that is currently bouncing around in my head. The myth that makes the night seem a bit more magical and me a bit closer to the band.

The show was amazing. I can talk at lengths about how great the show was or how wonderful it was to see my favorite band play songs I've never heard them play before. It's always great to see a band for the 6th time and not get tired of them, the show or their music. I wish that number could be higher than 6 but U2 tickets rarely come cheap.

It was certainly a night I won't forget. Thanks rock gods. Thanks U2.


me at the end of the show trying to look cool.

A Trip to Hawaii. A Trip to Pearl Harbor

Hello

Recently I took a small family vacation to Hawaii. It is actually the third time I have been to Hawaii. During each of my visits I have made sure to spend some time at the historical monument, Pearl Harbor.

If you know American history, World War II history, or just good old World History then you know the importance of Pearl Harbor, the bombing on December 7, 1941 and the effect it had on history since.

Today Pearl Harbor is a national memorial. Over 4 million people visit the island of O'ahu yearly and it is hard not to imagine a large portion of those people visiting the historical site, national monument and burial ground.

When visiting, it is hard to imagine that in such a beautiful place could host such a horrific event. In the serene blue skies and the sun soaked Hawaii, in a violent act of war, over 2400 Americans lost their lives. You cannot forget the several hundred that were injured as well as the Japanese soldiers that lost their lives either.

As I visit Pearl Harbor I think or have a moment of thought in which I feel that the worst thing about Pearl Harbor wasn't the attack but that it is so far away from everything. The attack on Pearl Harbor is one of the most tragic events of the 20th century yet it occurred on island over 2300 miles away from the continental US and almost 4000 miles away from Japan. It is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean removed from much of the world. At the time of the attack, Hawaii was not even a state in the US. There is a physical distance, a certain disassociation because it was not a state and as time passes, the worst thing that could happen is that we forget what occurred and how the attack changed history.

The terrorist attack on the US on September 11 occurred not only in one of the biggest cities in the world but in modern travel, a short airplane ride away from most Americans. It also occurred on our morning news programs and in our high speed internet culture. Pearl Harbor isn't next door. You cannot drive to Hawaii and it is not a quick plane ride from anywhere. In 1941 newspapers were still the dominant news force and you could still see news reel footage before the feature at your local movie theater. The times have changed.

I guess what I am simply saying is that it is a shame more people don't and/or can't visit Pearl Harbor. It is a powerful reminder of the dangers, past and present in our world. During my last visit it is hard to not hope for an end to senseless violence and that one day peace will exist across the world.

Thank you to the brave men and women who fight honorably for their country and for freedom. May we all find peace one day.

A Death Deserved and A New Day

Osama Bin Ladin is dead.

A face of evil is dead. A face. Yet there are countless faces of evil that run rampant across our towns, cities, states, countries and globe.

I am every bit so happy that Bin Ladin is dead. I am proud and honored by the men and women who have sacrificed their lives to bring us to this moment. It is a bold and selfless act committed by soldiers and those caught in between that allowed for this moment to occur. I am very happy to know some soldiers who have shown this bravery and very proud to call them friends.

Yet I give pause. A moment to reflect. Is it possible to think that the killing of one man ends it all? Is it naive to think that by killing one we can live in peace? World War I was the war to end all wars and that storyline never came to pass. How many wars must be fought for all of us to finally learn? When does the hatred and greed that breeds war end?

I am happy that his death brings closure to so many but yet it does little to stop the hate that circles this world. I fear it will only create more hate.

Justice has been done. It has been the will of two Presidential administrations, intelligence networks, brave soldiers and the patience of American people that made this happen. Over three thousand American troops gave their lives to this cause with many more suffer physical and mental pains. We cannot forget the Afghan army soldiers and civilians who have also fought and lived and died through this tumultuous time. To forget them is to dishonor them.

I simply and naively hope that this is a step towards better times. Tolerance, acceptance, understanding, education and unity must be something more than cliched slogans and fantasies. There is a natural conflict, a philosophical argument... if you kill 1 to save the lives of many would you do it? Killing Osama Bin Laden has taken the lives of many and my only hope is that no more lives are lost because of this blind hatred, unwillingness to accept others, cruel notions of pride and maniacal terrorists ambitions.



Call me naive but I think we all want to live in a safer and better world.

May the powers that be bless us all.

Why? Paul Reiser... Why?

Why ? Paul Reiser... Why?

From 1992-1999 you were the creator, producer and star of your own hit show on NBC called Mad About You. It was a charming little show about marriage and family. It was the kind of show you didn't want to like but secretly did, about a marriage you never want to have but might not mind having because they oozed happiness. Just kidding, not trying to be a hater. I enjoyed the show. I found it charming and if I had a marriage like the two leads then I might find normalcy. Of course finding the girl, getting married and all that should probably come first. Either way, it was a cute, at times, very smart and a well done show.

It's other claim to fame was Helen Hunt. Hunt got bigger than Reiser in almost every way for about 5 years. She was huge. She won an Oscar and a bunch of Emmys. She was doing big budget movies and staring in little indie adventures and so forth. The show eventually ended and so did their huge careers. Hunt still does movies and guest stars in the occasional TV spots but Reiser has done little since the show ended in '99.

Reiser has only starred in a couple of films since the show ended and half of those were made for TV. Not knocking it but the guy has been in entertainment for 30 years. He has been around the block. He has been a part of some great television, so you might think film roles could have come a little easier but they didn't.

Reiser is unfortunately not a great actor and now, he comes back to TV starring in a show where he plays himself. He is taking the Larry David formula from Curb Your Enthusiasm and trying to make it his own with The Paul Reiser Show. A better title might not hurt.

The first episode was kind of painful. It's hard to see a smart and charming Reiser create a show to satisfy his need for relevance. Even in the very beginning of the first episode he explains that he is very satisfied with his life but he is not yet dead and is looking for what comes next. My suggestion, stay home, kick the camera out and be a family man. I know it has only been one episode but even at that you stooped low enough to get Larry David on your show and get him to playfully suggest that you, Reiser, should do a show similar to that of Curb Your Enthusiasm. What kind of television is that? It's bad television! I know NBC is desperate but come on!

Yes, there were two clever lines in the show but that doesn't save it. This idea is as bad as Seinfeld's Marriage Ref show and that got cancelled after only 10 episodes. I again, stress the need for a better title. A better idea wouldn't hurt either. Don't do this to yourself Reiser. You are better than this.

But wait, it's only been 1 episode. It could get better. What makes Larry David's show work is that it is a parody of celebrity, as well as Hollywood, and that David is such a horrible guy. The bad stuff that happens to Larry David is sad but also deserving and propels the show forward. This show has too much sincerity to be satire and Reiser is such a nice guy and good family man that the biggest problem he has is finding a job. That really is a sad sack of a problem when you don't really need a job. Do you think he needs a job, when he lives in a in a giant California home and Mad About You is in syndication somewhere, all the time? Mmm sweet delicious royalties. I don't think it's a big problem. Hard sell when so many people have so much less that need, I mean need a job.

TV strikes out again!

The Greatest American Band ?

Who is it?

well it it certainly isn't...

The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Clash, The Cure or Black Sabbath because those bands are English. Other English bands include the Kinks, Cream, the Police, the Smiths, Radiohead and a slew of others. A slew of others.

It's not Rush (Canada). It's not U2 (Ireland). It's not AC/DC (Australia). Even half of Fleetwood Mac is British. Queen is British and so is Coldplay.

So who is America's greatest band?

Let us talk about what it means to be "great" first. You have to have the albums, the concert tours, the live performances at festivals and at award shows, consistency, longevity are also a plus. You have to influence music and by that, not just how it sounds but how it looks and how the listener thinks about music. Greatness is not just one or two things but a multitude of things. One thing that does not matter at all, Grammy Awards. The Grammy Awards have no part here. Let's begin.

There are many candidates. Let us start by getting rid of a few.

Automatically disqualified

Van Halen - 3 (count them and rumored to be looking for #4) lead singers, each with different styles and sounds. Not that I don't enjoy them but I think we need more consistency.

Nirvana - Like one week of hot sex, the career was not long enough to say greatest of all time. The one that got away. Sadly I know, plus it is my belief that they would have become as irrelevant as Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and countless others that emerged from the grunge era.

Guns N' Roses - in 20 plus years of rocking and various band formations there just isn't enough music to support the argument. Appetite for Destruction does kick serious ass, just sayin'.

The Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doors all faced the loss of a vital key member to their groups and for the sake of this argument, they cannot be considered for the top spot.

Run-DMC - Along with Jam Master Jay (hell yes, two turn tables count as an instrument, therefore, band!) they were fabulous throughout the 80's but the greatness didn't last long.

Tough Calls

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Now on guitarist #4, do the Peppers really have enough consistency over a 20 plus year career to be considered the greatest? Great band they are but easier to list great songs over great albums.

The Ramones - another band with rotating members. One of the founders of punk rock but come on, come on. I'd say easily one of the most important American bands but not the greatest.

Velvet Underground - A similar thing could be said about this band. Easily one of the most important American bands but not the greatest. Underground, art, alternative music would not exist without this band.

The Grateful Dead - This is tough. They have the following, the years deep in the trenches but any band that is defined by their live shows rather than their recordings is simply not going to cut it. I tend to think their best recordings were of them recording Dylan. Sorry.

Parliament/Funkadelic - This is just a confusing group but failure to recognize them is simply criminal. Two separate groups but the same with shifting members once guided by the genius that was/is George Clinton. Not unlike the Ramones or the Velvet Underground, this group is vastly important and influential but cannot be considered the greatest.

Beastie Boys - It's hard to believe that in 25 years these guys only have only like 8 albums to build the argument, one of those being a heavily ignored instrumental album. Not to mention that the band itself ignores much of it's early material.

Absolute No's. As in, Not Going To Happen.

The Eagles - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1971.

Aerosmith - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1972.

Kiss - No. Not bad stuff but you've written the same song over and over again since 1973.

I won't entertain arguments for Bon Jovi or Journey. I just won't.

So with all that said who can it be??????????

Metallica - Sure they've rotated bassists once, twice or thrice but the 80's and early 90's were pretty awesome. And they attacked Napster which they should have done. No that is not a typo. They should have attacked Napster.


R.E.M. - Sure they lost their drummer in the late 90's because he had a stroke on tour and then chose to become a farmer, this leading the band into a 10 year funk of mediocre recordings. They have recently relocated their swagger and are now 30 years strong with an undeniable influence on American pop rock.

Sly and the Family Stone - Easily one of the most important acts of the 60's and 70's with the records to prove it and legendary live shows to bolster the myths and legends.

Pearl Jam - Is anything of theirs as good as the first 3 albums? I think irrelevance hit them a long time ago but fans believe that the band is still recording their best material. I have yet to be swayed by that argument or the actual recordings.

The Beach Boys - Sure, they have rotating members and a whole lot of confusion about who owns the rights to the name "the Beach Boys" but let's face it, they were one of two bands to be just as important as the Beatles in the 60's (the other being the Rolling Stones). At that time the Beach Boys were America's best counter attack against the Brit Invasion.

Sonic Youth - One of the best bands to get so little recognition. I even almost forgot about them in the process of writing this blog. Heavily influential. You cannot spell alternative rock music without Sonic Youth but it is hard to put them on the list when the average Joe or Jane doesn't know who they are.

I don't know.... Who is America's Greatest Band? I'd love to throw in Prince and the Revolution or Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band but I am weary to place bands fronted by a musical geniuses who would have been good if not great with or without the band. Talking heads don't have the body of work and neither do the Replacements or the Pixies.

It's also sad that I really can't think of any band that has come out post 1998 on this list. The Strokes? Forget about it! It's been all down hill since their debut. The Arcade Fire is fabulous but they're Canadian.

Wait a second! There is a band, you might have forgotten but you can catch them late night 5 nights a week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Roots!



Why not? The Roots have been recording music since the early 90's and have been consistently good throughout. Maybe they don't get the consideration because they do hip hop and that is just stupid. It is stupid to disrespect them because of their genre. After all those guys rock. Don't believe me then just check them out live sometime.

Who is the Greatest American Band? I don't know.

Why not throw in the Miles Davis Quintet. Oh but wait, which one? Could it be the first that features players like John Coltrane and Red Garland or should we consider the second that featured players like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter? Let's not forget the orchestras of Duke Ellington or Benny Goodman. Let's not forget groups like Booker T. & the M.G.'s who not only had a solid career of their own but were the house band for Stax records and being the house band allowed them to record with great acts like Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding.

Who is the Greatest American Band?

Who else is there to consider? I don't know but the search and discovery is well worth it.