Blues Grammy Nominations
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
I suppose it's appropriate that in this year's Grammy nominations, 'The Blues' was category #13. As I scrolled down the extensive list I had the impression that the categories were ranked according to sales: so blues comes after Gospel, Tejano, and Mexican. Reflecting on population trends, this is kinda tell isn't it? There are two "Blues" fields in the Grammy's;
Category 64 - Best Traditional Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental.) includes;
Me And Mr Johnson, Eric Clapton, [Reprise] Baby, Don't You Tear My Clothes, James Cotton, [Telarc] Blues With A Vengeance, John Lee Hooker, Jr., [Kent Records] Blues To The Bone, Etta James, [RCA Victor] Ladies Man, Pinetop Perkins, [M.C. Records]
See any names you recognize? What I see is a lame attempt by people that are clearly out of touch, particularly with the Blues genre, nominating names that are in their comfort zone. No effort was made to really uncover the field and discern actual trends or talent. Remember, these are the folks that gave Jethro Tull the ‘Heavy Metal’ Grammy the first year that category was awarded. ANY artist on the Fat Possum record label are more deserving in this category than anyone actually nominated, except possibly Pinetop Perkins; however that album relies heavily on pop star guests. Sure Cotton & Etta were the scene, “back in the day” but her voice is shot and he’s a thin vapor of his once great glory. Clapton? Much like Bob Dylan, Clapton has rested on his laurels for too long and is no longer capable of breaking new ground or taking the art form forward. And who in the hell is John Lee Hooker Junior? Next year they are probably going to prop up Muddy Water’s son! At least Jimmy Rodgers son, Jimmy D. Lane has a credible album out that he’s touring behind it. While California label misfits nominate clichés that fit into their naïve world I believe the Blues is as vibrant as it’s ever been and if anyone on this dopey nominating committee had taken the time to think… However judging from the method by which they’ve managed this industry into the (messed)-up mess it’s in at the moment it’s clearly too much for ask a bunch of fashionably “Recovered,” self-centered, elitists to make credible nominations. Much to their black rimmed glasses, tinted hair and squared toe black shoed shock – they really are out of touch and need to step out of the way to allow the next generation in.
Category 65 - Best Contemporary Blues Album (Vocal or Instrumental.)
N'awlinz Dis Dat Or D'udda, Dr. John, [Blue Note] Keep It Simple, Keb' Mo', [Epic/Okeh] What's Wrong With This Picture?, Van Morrison, [Blue Note Records] Sanctuary, Charlie Musselwhite, [Real World] I'm A Bluesman, Johnny Winter, [Virgin]
This list of nominations is a bit better. I’ll predict Johnny Winter wins: his health has been bad and this will be an effort to recognize him before its too late. Keb Mo is a genuine artist and this album is good although he’s had better. Charlie Musselwhite is a groundbreaking force of nature that has graduated to the top of the class. Van Morrison? All I can say is, “What’s Wrong With This Picture?” And while I appreciate his volume of work I was shocked to see Dr. John’s latest included but God bless him none-the-less.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Blues and Electronica
Electronica
Monday, December 06, 2004
It was bound to happen. There has been a movement to expand the blues sound to include electronica music. If pop artist Moby represents one end of the sonic spectrum then R. L. Burnside represents a true blues man’s effort to push the art form forward. The band, Nu Blues, on Chris Thomas King’s 21st Century recording label lands somewhere in the middle.
So does it work? Listening to the variety of albums that amalgamate blues and electronica made me ask the seemingly simple question, ‘What are the blues?’ Much like rap, the blues WERE a threat to white mainstream society that was embraced by younger people in order to shock the previous generation. Furthermore, the blues relies heavily on a Confidence Game approach: the music is only as good as the listener can be convinced it is. Lastly, it’s heavy on rhythm and emotions. It’s also relatively easy to mimic and a vast majority of blues albums will not withstand the test of time.
So is this new hybrid sound blues or pop? The tradition 12 bar nature of blues is quickly laid aside on these new efforts. AND it cannot be performed live. Okay, with enough gadgets and tape loops it can be performed live. After numerous listenings I would say that Moby is interesting but hardly exciting, that RL Burnside is exciting and these experiments are interesting but very much a niche, and that Putumayo’s Blues Lounge various artist compilation is something you would probably be wiser to borrow from a friend.
Which brings us to Nu Blues, a four-piece, inter-racial band of young men, and their new album, “Dreams of a Blues Man.” Combing the sounds of the blues with the “modern sounds of the street” this band is exceptional. A tasteful smatter of singing and rap-like vocals set against loops & synthesizers, Nu Blues includes harmonica playing, a Nashville slide guitar and the dynamite vocals of Goose Ramon. The heavy blues influences seeds the music with familiar sounds and makes the album easy to pick-up. Okay, it’s not “The Blues” but it is quite interesting and folks that have a wider listening vocabulary will find this album worth their investigation. Clearly it’s not for everyone but than what music worth listening to is?
Monday, December 06, 2004
It was bound to happen. There has been a movement to expand the blues sound to include electronica music. If pop artist Moby represents one end of the sonic spectrum then R. L. Burnside represents a true blues man’s effort to push the art form forward. The band, Nu Blues, on Chris Thomas King’s 21st Century recording label lands somewhere in the middle.
So does it work? Listening to the variety of albums that amalgamate blues and electronica made me ask the seemingly simple question, ‘What are the blues?’ Much like rap, the blues WERE a threat to white mainstream society that was embraced by younger people in order to shock the previous generation. Furthermore, the blues relies heavily on a Confidence Game approach: the music is only as good as the listener can be convinced it is. Lastly, it’s heavy on rhythm and emotions. It’s also relatively easy to mimic and a vast majority of blues albums will not withstand the test of time.
So is this new hybrid sound blues or pop? The tradition 12 bar nature of blues is quickly laid aside on these new efforts. AND it cannot be performed live. Okay, with enough gadgets and tape loops it can be performed live. After numerous listenings I would say that Moby is interesting but hardly exciting, that RL Burnside is exciting and these experiments are interesting but very much a niche, and that Putumayo’s Blues Lounge various artist compilation is something you would probably be wiser to borrow from a friend.
Which brings us to Nu Blues, a four-piece, inter-racial band of young men, and their new album, “Dreams of a Blues Man.” Combing the sounds of the blues with the “modern sounds of the street” this band is exceptional. A tasteful smatter of singing and rap-like vocals set against loops & synthesizers, Nu Blues includes harmonica playing, a Nashville slide guitar and the dynamite vocals of Goose Ramon. The heavy blues influences seeds the music with familiar sounds and makes the album easy to pick-up. Okay, it’s not “The Blues” but it is quite interesting and folks that have a wider listening vocabulary will find this album worth their investigation. Clearly it’s not for everyone but than what music worth listening to is?
Omaha's top selling blues titles in 2004
Top 15 2004
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Da’ Blues! An American art form that delights the soul and celebrates life’s trials.
A quick glance at Homer’s Top Selling Blues albums for 2004 revels some interesting facts.
Joe Bonamassa, an artist that has become familiar with Omaha fans, was the best selling artist this year with two albums in the Top 100. His newest album, Had to Cry Today, sold well enough to give Bonamassa two albums in the Top Five (and three in the Top 100) but was classified as a “rock” album instead of a blues record.
Proving once again that death has great marketing potential, legendary Floridian Ray Charles had three albums in the Top 12. No doubt sales were also impacted by the release of the crucially acclaimed film, Ray.
Past sales indicate that B. B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan are the areas best selling blues artists. Interestingly King came in at #31 with his album, Why I Sing the Blues’ while Vaughan’s #15 seller hails last year’s “Year of the Blues” promotion featuring the PBS series, “Martin Scorses Presents the Blues.”
Not one but two artists see the positive effect of Reader columnist B. J. Hutchtemann with Top Ten placements that she has championed over the years; Keb Mo and Curtis Salgado.
Omaha’s Indigenous Jam clearly launched the local success for a likely contender for finest living blues guitar player alive today with Robben Ford coming in at #6 which was produced by John Wooler, former EVP of Virgin Records and founder of the defunct Pointblank Record label.
The increasingly significant Omaha Blues Society flexs it's impact muscle when the appearance of Renee Austin who was one of their guest artists this summer on their very popular Missouri River Boat cruises. If you're not yet a member of the OBS - GET OUT'YER WALLET and help make Omaha the live music Mecca it so richly deserves!
Last but hardly least, one of my top five favorite blues albums of all time Etta James’ “At Last” places #7 in the year’s best sellers. If you haven’t heard this album, and have even a casual affinity for the blues, this is a MUST OWN album by a towering figure within the genre. A great record by any standard.
1 BLUES DELUXE BONAMASSA,JOE
2 GENIUS LOVES COMPANY CHARLES,RAY
3 KEEP IT SIMPLE KEB MO'
4 SANCTUARY MUSSELWHITE,CHARLIE
5 VERY BEST OF RAY CHARLES
6 KEEP ON RUNNING FORD,ROBBEN
7 AT LAST JAMES,ETTA
8 SWEET TALK AUSTIN,RENEE
9 ANTHOLOGY RAY CHARLES
10 STRONG SUSPICION SALGADO,CURTIS
11 WAIT FOR ME TEDESCHI,SUSAN
12 WHISKEY STORE LIVE TAB BENOIT & JIMMY THACKERY
13 ELECTRIC MUD WATERS,MUDDY
14 BOTHERED MIND BURNSIDE,R.L.
15 MARTIN SCORSESE PRES VAUGHAN,STEVIE RAY
Be sure to tune into KIWR’s Pacific Street Blues on Sunday, December 19th when Rick Galusha begins his 16th year of hosting this three-hour radio program. PS Blues airs Sundays from 9:00 – Noon. PS Blues is now preceded by Mike Fratt’s three hour program, Sunday Morning
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Da’ Blues! An American art form that delights the soul and celebrates life’s trials.
A quick glance at Homer’s Top Selling Blues albums for 2004 revels some interesting facts.
Joe Bonamassa, an artist that has become familiar with Omaha fans, was the best selling artist this year with two albums in the Top 100. His newest album, Had to Cry Today, sold well enough to give Bonamassa two albums in the Top Five (and three in the Top 100) but was classified as a “rock” album instead of a blues record.
Proving once again that death has great marketing potential, legendary Floridian Ray Charles had three albums in the Top 12. No doubt sales were also impacted by the release of the crucially acclaimed film, Ray.
Past sales indicate that B. B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan are the areas best selling blues artists. Interestingly King came in at #31 with his album, Why I Sing the Blues’ while Vaughan’s #15 seller hails last year’s “Year of the Blues” promotion featuring the PBS series, “Martin Scorses Presents the Blues.”
Not one but two artists see the positive effect of Reader columnist B. J. Hutchtemann with Top Ten placements that she has championed over the years; Keb Mo and Curtis Salgado.
Omaha’s Indigenous Jam clearly launched the local success for a likely contender for finest living blues guitar player alive today with Robben Ford coming in at #6 which was produced by John Wooler, former EVP of Virgin Records and founder of the defunct Pointblank Record label.
The increasingly significant Omaha Blues Society flexs it's impact muscle when the appearance of Renee Austin who was one of their guest artists this summer on their very popular Missouri River Boat cruises. If you're not yet a member of the OBS - GET OUT'YER WALLET and help make Omaha the live music Mecca it so richly deserves!
Last but hardly least, one of my top five favorite blues albums of all time Etta James’ “At Last” places #7 in the year’s best sellers. If you haven’t heard this album, and have even a casual affinity for the blues, this is a MUST OWN album by a towering figure within the genre. A great record by any standard.
1 BLUES DELUXE BONAMASSA,JOE
2 GENIUS LOVES COMPANY CHARLES,RAY
3 KEEP IT SIMPLE KEB MO'
4 SANCTUARY MUSSELWHITE,CHARLIE
5 VERY BEST OF RAY CHARLES
6 KEEP ON RUNNING FORD,ROBBEN
7 AT LAST JAMES,ETTA
8 SWEET TALK AUSTIN,RENEE
9 ANTHOLOGY RAY CHARLES
10 STRONG SUSPICION SALGADO,CURTIS
11 WAIT FOR ME TEDESCHI,SUSAN
12 WHISKEY STORE LIVE TAB BENOIT & JIMMY THACKERY
13 ELECTRIC MUD WATERS,MUDDY
14 BOTHERED MIND BURNSIDE,R.L.
15 MARTIN SCORSESE PRES VAUGHAN,STEVIE RAY
Be sure to tune into KIWR’s Pacific Street Blues on Sunday, December 19th when Rick Galusha begins his 16th year of hosting this three-hour radio program. PS Blues airs Sundays from 9:00 – Noon. PS Blues is now preceded by Mike Fratt’s three hour program, Sunday Morning
Friday, January 18, 2008
Bob Clearmountain replies to email RE; Stone's Live album (not to me)
Stones Live Licks
Saturday, November 13, 2004
CLEARMOUNTAIN thread - complete...
Posted by: R (IP Logged)
Date: november 9, 2004 17:21
...for those wishing reference thereto:
My letter to Mr. Clearmountain, sent Friday, November 5, late afternoon EDT:
Dear Mr. Clearmountain:
I have, like many, many people been a longtime, albeit indirect fan of your work. You have produced and more often mixed and mastered a slew of very popular albums and there is no doubt your name graces the liner notes of millions of CDs in hundreds of thousands of home worldwide. Enough of my pandering however. On to my comments and questions about the new Stones live release.
I am writing on behalf of concerned members of the 'It's Only Rock And Roll' unofficial Stones fan web-site. We have hundreds of members worldwide and we've been pondering these questions for a week now:
You, and whomever else that were involved in creating the sound and feel of the new Rolling Stones live CD, have finally nailed it! You've captured what many of us longtime obsessive fans have always wanted in a live album from the modern day Stones. The guitars are grungy, dirty and wonderful! Clearly audible in the right and left channel. The full spectrum of Charlies drums are there for the percussion fascists among us and Jagger's vocals (while apparently overdubbed to some extent) are in perfect balance to the overall aural window. The ancillary players have been relegated to the background (a pet peeve of us Stones lovers who lack no other life and concern themselves with such things). The song selection could be better but that's not your department as I understand it. All in all "Live Licks" is terrific EXCEPT:
Please forgive me for asking, but why is the editing so horrific?
Brown Sugar: the guitars sound cut and pasted. A sax note from another source seems to step on the end of Bobby Keys solo which sounds flat. The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" call and response simply appears out of nowhere.
Rocks Off: the most memorable verse in the song, the one that follows the bridge, has been cut and the song moves straight to the chorus. The transistion is not a smooth one to say the least.
Satisfaction: Seems to have had much of Keith and Ronnie's inspired guitar interplay excised when compared to the original, which appears to be the version found on the Four Flicks DVD (as too were most of the songs on this release).
You Can't Always Get What You Want: At 6:45 the jump from the midtempo singalong to the fast guitar solo is a blatant edit, poorly executed, and throws the whole feel of the song off. It's as though a minute was just lopped out. No crossfade. Nada.
Honky Tonk Women: It sounds as though the live guitar solos were excised and a Keith solo was dubbed over Chuck Leavell's piano solo.
Every song on "Live Licks" has been shortened and it seems inexplicable as each disc runs only an hour leaving room for longer versions and perhaps two or three more songs each. We don't get out much and we'd really been looking forward to this album. Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
R-------IORR member since 1997.
----------
Mr. Clearmountains response to the above letter received Monday, November 8 in early afternoon, EDT. His responses are in quotes:
"Hmmmm... you have some fascinating observations there. First of all I'd like to thank you for being so complimentary about the sound of the new Stones live album, and about my work in general. I used "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" as a reference as I believe it to be probably the best live rock album ever released (ED: Must not have heard Live at Leeds by The Who) . If I got anywhere near that ballpark with this one I think I can feel I've accomplished something."
"You're correct in your observation that there was quite a bit of editing involved, (as there is in most live album productions) and in your assumption that I had nothing to do with that part of the production. The thing is, all the edit decisions were made by Don Was and the Stones themselves. As far as the guitars go, as anyone who has ever worked on a Stones album (studio or live) knows, for every five licks those guys play, only one or two are actually usable - and those are generally amazing. When you see them live they get away with it because there's a lot going on on stage to look at, so you don't really notice. Stones freaks like you guys may not mind hearing licks that have very little to do with the the song they're playing, but the general public, and the Stones themselves don't really want to know.*
"As for specifics, see below for answers. I can't remember all the details (I don't yet have a copy of the album for reference) and actually don't know what edits were done before it got to me, but here's what I know:
... Jagger's vocals (while apparently overdubbed to some extent) are in perfect balance to the overall aural window.
"Only one lead vocal was overdubbed, and unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to say which one. All other vocals were live. (Can you guess which one?)"
Brown Sugar: the guitars sound cut and pasted. A sax note from another source seems to step on the end of Bobby Keys solo which sounds flat. The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" call and response simply appears out of nowhere.
"The BK sax solo is the original solo (as far as I know) and if you were as much of a Stones fan as you claim you'd know that Bobby Keys has rarely, if ever played a solo that wasn't flat. It's kinda part of what makes him so unique. I was momentarily tempted to tune him up (would have been simple and only taken a few minutes) but didn't for fear that it would no longer sound like Bobby Keys.
"The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" is totally real, the audience mics are goosed a bit on the "wooh" as it would have sounded quite anticlimactic if you couldn't hear that."
Rocks Off: the most memorable verse in the song, the one that follows the bridge, has been cut and the song moves straight to the chorus. The transistion is not a smooth one to say the least.
"*A decision made by the band, I think because the they sort of fell apart during that verse, but I'm not really sure."
Satisfaction: Seems to have had much of Keith and Ronnie's inspired guitar interplay excised when compared to the original, which appears to be the version found on the Four Flicks DVD (as too were most of the songs on this release).
"*Band/producer decision."
You Can't Always Get What You Want: At 6:45 the jump from the midtempo singalong to the fast guitar solo is a blatant edit, poorly executed, and throws the whole feel of the song off. It's as though a minute was just lopped out. No crossfade. Nada.
"*Band/producer decision, if that's true. I think it was because it got a bit boring during that section."
Honky Tonk Women: It sounds as though the live guitar solos were excised and a Keith solo was dubbed over Chuck Leavell's piano solo.
"*Band/producer decision, if in fact, true."
Every song on "Live Licks" has been shortened and it seems inexplicable as each disc runs only an hour leaving room for longer versions and perhaps two or three more songs each. We don't get out much and we'd really been looking forward to this album. Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
"I don't believe the sound was compromised at all. I'd like to add that, as I've mixed one studio album, various singles, two live Pay-Per-View cable broadcasts, a feature-length film and two previous live albums for them, I believe this ranks as one of their best pieces of work since the mid 70's. I don't think this album would have been nearly as listenable and enjoyable without the hard work and, as you've put it, "horrific editing". But of course, as an avid Stones fan myself since the early 60's, that's just my opinion."
Cheers, Bob Clearmountain [www.mixthis.com]
----------
My response to HIS reply sent mid afternoon EDT, November 8. Not published in its entirety in previous threads. Mr. Clearmountain's comments are in quotes.:
In a message dated 11/8/04 4:11:30 PM, bob@mixthis.com writes:
Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
"I don't believe the sound was compromised at all."
I stand corrected. What I meant to say was the overall enjoyment of the album is compromised by the poor edits. As I said earlier, it's the BEST SOUNDING live Stones album since Ya Yas - which makes the edits all the more obvious - and irksome.
"and if you were as much of a Stones fan as you claim you'd know that Bobby Keys has rarely, if ever played a solo that wasn't flat. It's kinda part of what makes him so unique."
Mea culpa. Actually the "flat" observation was someone elses. The thing that bugged me was there seems to be another horn (or horns) stepping on Billy's last note as though edited from the stadium show wherein the horn section followed Billy's solo.
" The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" is totally real, the audience mics are goosed a bit on the "wooh" as it would have sounded quite anticlimactic if you couldn't hear that."
It's not how they come in but rather when. Perhaps a bit of hair-splitting on the part of us Stonesiophiles who've been listening to roughly the same arrangement of the live "Brown Sugar" for thirty or so years.
Thank you very much for your prompt, professional and detailed to response to my (admittedly somewhat snarky but we do take these things seriously) letter. I've forwarded your reply 'round the world and hundreds of people are already arguing about which Jagger vocal was overdubbed as you read this. My guess is "Street Fighting Man."
You live and work in Portland as I recall? My sister lives outside of Kennebunkport and we are fond of Gritty McDuffs for lunch. I just can't get used to the sun going down at 3:30 in the afternoon however.
Thanks again.
Sincerely,R------- ------------
Mr. Clearmountain's reply to the above letter, received 5:45pm EDT, November 8:
Dear R-----,
I've really got to get myself a copy of the record to check out your observations because, to be quite honest, I just don't remember these details. As I said, I do feel whatever editing might have been done improved the-well at least-my overall enjoyment of the album. You guys might wanna just relax and enjoy it for what it is as well. The album is the Rolling Stones vision of how they want to be presented on disk at this point in time. If you really are Stones fans, you'd respect them for that and get over it. They're also quite spontaneous, and don't play the exact same arrangements every night, so some of the tunes may sound a bit different than what you've been used to for the last "...thirty or so years".
The one song that Mick had to overdub was only because there was a problem with the mic, and it was only in a few places.
I live and work in Los Angeles. My manager and close friend, Dan Crewe lives near Portland.
Cheers,
Clearmountain
Saturday, November 13, 2004
CLEARMOUNTAIN thread - complete...
Posted by: R (IP Logged)
Date: november 9, 2004 17:21
...for those wishing reference thereto:
My letter to Mr. Clearmountain, sent Friday, November 5, late afternoon EDT:
Dear Mr. Clearmountain:
I have, like many, many people been a longtime, albeit indirect fan of your work. You have produced and more often mixed and mastered a slew of very popular albums and there is no doubt your name graces the liner notes of millions of CDs in hundreds of thousands of home worldwide. Enough of my pandering however. On to my comments and questions about the new Stones live release.
I am writing on behalf of concerned members of the 'It's Only Rock And Roll' unofficial Stones fan web-site. We have hundreds of members worldwide and we've been pondering these questions for a week now:
You, and whomever else that were involved in creating the sound and feel of the new Rolling Stones live CD, have finally nailed it! You've captured what many of us longtime obsessive fans have always wanted in a live album from the modern day Stones. The guitars are grungy, dirty and wonderful! Clearly audible in the right and left channel. The full spectrum of Charlies drums are there for the percussion fascists among us and Jagger's vocals (while apparently overdubbed to some extent) are in perfect balance to the overall aural window. The ancillary players have been relegated to the background (a pet peeve of us Stones lovers who lack no other life and concern themselves with such things). The song selection could be better but that's not your department as I understand it. All in all "Live Licks" is terrific EXCEPT:
Please forgive me for asking, but why is the editing so horrific?
Brown Sugar: the guitars sound cut and pasted. A sax note from another source seems to step on the end of Bobby Keys solo which sounds flat. The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" call and response simply appears out of nowhere.
Rocks Off: the most memorable verse in the song, the one that follows the bridge, has been cut and the song moves straight to the chorus. The transistion is not a smooth one to say the least.
Satisfaction: Seems to have had much of Keith and Ronnie's inspired guitar interplay excised when compared to the original, which appears to be the version found on the Four Flicks DVD (as too were most of the songs on this release).
You Can't Always Get What You Want: At 6:45 the jump from the midtempo singalong to the fast guitar solo is a blatant edit, poorly executed, and throws the whole feel of the song off. It's as though a minute was just lopped out. No crossfade. Nada.
Honky Tonk Women: It sounds as though the live guitar solos were excised and a Keith solo was dubbed over Chuck Leavell's piano solo.
Every song on "Live Licks" has been shortened and it seems inexplicable as each disc runs only an hour leaving room for longer versions and perhaps two or three more songs each. We don't get out much and we'd really been looking forward to this album. Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
R-------IORR member since 1997.
----------
Mr. Clearmountains response to the above letter received Monday, November 8 in early afternoon, EDT. His responses are in quotes:
"Hmmmm... you have some fascinating observations there. First of all I'd like to thank you for being so complimentary about the sound of the new Stones live album, and about my work in general. I used "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out" as a reference as I believe it to be probably the best live rock album ever released (ED: Must not have heard Live at Leeds by The Who) . If I got anywhere near that ballpark with this one I think I can feel I've accomplished something."
"You're correct in your observation that there was quite a bit of editing involved, (as there is in most live album productions) and in your assumption that I had nothing to do with that part of the production. The thing is, all the edit decisions were made by Don Was and the Stones themselves. As far as the guitars go, as anyone who has ever worked on a Stones album (studio or live) knows, for every five licks those guys play, only one or two are actually usable - and those are generally amazing. When you see them live they get away with it because there's a lot going on on stage to look at, so you don't really notice. Stones freaks like you guys may not mind hearing licks that have very little to do with the the song they're playing, but the general public, and the Stones themselves don't really want to know.*
"As for specifics, see below for answers. I can't remember all the details (I don't yet have a copy of the album for reference) and actually don't know what edits were done before it got to me, but here's what I know:
... Jagger's vocals (while apparently overdubbed to some extent) are in perfect balance to the overall aural window.
"Only one lead vocal was overdubbed, and unfortunately, I'm not at liberty to say which one. All other vocals were live. (Can you guess which one?)"
Brown Sugar: the guitars sound cut and pasted. A sax note from another source seems to step on the end of Bobby Keys solo which sounds flat. The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" call and response simply appears out of nowhere.
"The BK sax solo is the original solo (as far as I know) and if you were as much of a Stones fan as you claim you'd know that Bobby Keys has rarely, if ever played a solo that wasn't flat. It's kinda part of what makes him so unique. I was momentarily tempted to tune him up (would have been simple and only taken a few minutes) but didn't for fear that it would no longer sound like Bobby Keys.
"The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" is totally real, the audience mics are goosed a bit on the "wooh" as it would have sounded quite anticlimactic if you couldn't hear that."
Rocks Off: the most memorable verse in the song, the one that follows the bridge, has been cut and the song moves straight to the chorus. The transistion is not a smooth one to say the least.
"*A decision made by the band, I think because the they sort of fell apart during that verse, but I'm not really sure."
Satisfaction: Seems to have had much of Keith and Ronnie's inspired guitar interplay excised when compared to the original, which appears to be the version found on the Four Flicks DVD (as too were most of the songs on this release).
"*Band/producer decision."
You Can't Always Get What You Want: At 6:45 the jump from the midtempo singalong to the fast guitar solo is a blatant edit, poorly executed, and throws the whole feel of the song off. It's as though a minute was just lopped out. No crossfade. Nada.
"*Band/producer decision, if that's true. I think it was because it got a bit boring during that section."
Honky Tonk Women: It sounds as though the live guitar solos were excised and a Keith solo was dubbed over Chuck Leavell's piano solo.
"*Band/producer decision, if in fact, true."
Every song on "Live Licks" has been shortened and it seems inexplicable as each disc runs only an hour leaving room for longer versions and perhaps two or three more songs each. We don't get out much and we'd really been looking forward to this album. Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
"I don't believe the sound was compromised at all. I'd like to add that, as I've mixed one studio album, various singles, two live Pay-Per-View cable broadcasts, a feature-length film and two previous live albums for them, I believe this ranks as one of their best pieces of work since the mid 70's. I don't think this album would have been nearly as listenable and enjoyable without the hard work and, as you've put it, "horrific editing". But of course, as an avid Stones fan myself since the early 60's, that's just my opinion."
Cheers, Bob Clearmountain [www.mixthis.com]
----------
My response to HIS reply sent mid afternoon EDT, November 8. Not published in its entirety in previous threads. Mr. Clearmountain's comments are in quotes.:
In a message dated 11/8/04 4:11:30 PM, bob@mixthis.com writes:
Could you, if you can, please tell us all at IORR how the wonderful SOUND of this album was compromised by the apparently amateurish editing (which I trust was not your department). I'll be please to forward your response to the site.
"I don't believe the sound was compromised at all."
I stand corrected. What I meant to say was the overall enjoyment of the album is compromised by the poor edits. As I said earlier, it's the BEST SOUNDING live Stones album since Ya Yas - which makes the edits all the more obvious - and irksome.
"and if you were as much of a Stones fan as you claim you'd know that Bobby Keys has rarely, if ever played a solo that wasn't flat. It's kinda part of what makes him so unique."
Mea culpa. Actually the "flat" observation was someone elses. The thing that bugged me was there seems to be another horn (or horns) stepping on Billy's last note as though edited from the stadium show wherein the horn section followed Billy's solo.
" The "yeah, yeah, yeah woooh!" is totally real, the audience mics are goosed a bit on the "wooh" as it would have sounded quite anticlimactic if you couldn't hear that."
It's not how they come in but rather when. Perhaps a bit of hair-splitting on the part of us Stonesiophiles who've been listening to roughly the same arrangement of the live "Brown Sugar" for thirty or so years.
Thank you very much for your prompt, professional and detailed to response to my (admittedly somewhat snarky but we do take these things seriously) letter. I've forwarded your reply 'round the world and hundreds of people are already arguing about which Jagger vocal was overdubbed as you read this. My guess is "Street Fighting Man."
You live and work in Portland as I recall? My sister lives outside of Kennebunkport and we are fond of Gritty McDuffs for lunch. I just can't get used to the sun going down at 3:30 in the afternoon however.
Thanks again.
Sincerely,R------- ------------
Mr. Clearmountain's reply to the above letter, received 5:45pm EDT, November 8:
Dear R-----,
I've really got to get myself a copy of the record to check out your observations because, to be quite honest, I just don't remember these details. As I said, I do feel whatever editing might have been done improved the-well at least-my overall enjoyment of the album. You guys might wanna just relax and enjoy it for what it is as well. The album is the Rolling Stones vision of how they want to be presented on disk at this point in time. If you really are Stones fans, you'd respect them for that and get over it. They're also quite spontaneous, and don't play the exact same arrangements every night, so some of the tunes may sound a bit different than what you've been used to for the last "...thirty or so years".
The one song that Mick had to overdub was only because there was a problem with the mic, and it was only in a few places.
I live and work in Los Angeles. My manager and close friend, Dan Crewe lives near Portland.
Cheers,
Clearmountain
Album Review: ‘Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queen The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans.’
New Orleans boxset
Monday, November 08, 2004
Title: ‘The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans Rating: Great
Various Artists
You may still be mulling over election results but retailers are gearing up for the Christmas sales season. This is the time of year when the major labels release their “superstar” albums for the year and, of course, big beautiful boxsets with equally big price points.
Usually boxsets do not sell in the numbers that single disc albums do but are thrown at for serious fans. This year there have been two “great” boxset releases; ‘Five Guys Walk Into a Bar’ by one of rock’s best bands The Faces, and, ‘Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queen The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans.’
The New Orleans boxset is probably the coolest gift one could give to a serious music fan. Four discs, a great box, and a terrific book inside, this boxset gives the listener a comprehensive over-view of America’s premier music city. While other communities have an impressive history of great music, for me, New Orleans of the bedrock of “American” music. The so-called Big Easy is the home of jazz, a heavy contender for rhythm & soul base, and certainly the town that birthed funk. By mixing music & culture, food & entertainment, and a sense of the mystical New Orleans music has given the town a swagger that other communities can’t mimic.
Each disc takes the listeners down a unique route. There will be well known names such as Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Louis Armstrong & Pete Fountain. There are also less known but equally brilliant tracks by acts that deserve to be known like; Walter Wolfman Washington, Sonny Landreth, Henry Butler, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The book, 84 pages long, includes sensational photographs, excellent sidebar graphics, and well written narratives that help the reader understand the history of this city and how it’s inhabitants blended together numerous cultures to create a bizarre but beautiful community. This boxset is an absolutely brilliant introductory to some of America’s best music and the listener’s interest will be warmly rewarded.
This is the perfect Holiday gift whether its for you or someone you know that loves great music. So yes, we're talking about Christmas here but don't let that slow you down, this is great music in a great package that you can listen to all year around.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Title: ‘The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans Rating: Great
Various Artists
You may still be mulling over election results but retailers are gearing up for the Christmas sales season. This is the time of year when the major labels release their “superstar” albums for the year and, of course, big beautiful boxsets with equally big price points.
Usually boxsets do not sell in the numbers that single disc albums do but are thrown at for serious fans. This year there have been two “great” boxset releases; ‘Five Guys Walk Into a Bar’ by one of rock’s best bands The Faces, and, ‘Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queen The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans.’
The New Orleans boxset is probably the coolest gift one could give to a serious music fan. Four discs, a great box, and a terrific book inside, this boxset gives the listener a comprehensive over-view of America’s premier music city. While other communities have an impressive history of great music, for me, New Orleans of the bedrock of “American” music. The so-called Big Easy is the home of jazz, a heavy contender for rhythm & soul base, and certainly the town that birthed funk. By mixing music & culture, food & entertainment, and a sense of the mystical New Orleans music has given the town a swagger that other communities can’t mimic.
Each disc takes the listeners down a unique route. There will be well known names such as Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Louis Armstrong & Pete Fountain. There are also less known but equally brilliant tracks by acts that deserve to be known like; Walter Wolfman Washington, Sonny Landreth, Henry Butler, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The book, 84 pages long, includes sensational photographs, excellent sidebar graphics, and well written narratives that help the reader understand the history of this city and how it’s inhabitants blended together numerous cultures to create a bizarre but beautiful community. This boxset is an absolutely brilliant introductory to some of America’s best music and the listener’s interest will be warmly rewarded.
This is the perfect Holiday gift whether its for you or someone you know that loves great music. So yes, we're talking about Christmas here but don't let that slow you down, this is great music in a great package that you can listen to all year around.
Album Review: Doctor's, Professors, Kings & Queen, The Big Ol' Box of New Orleans
New Orleans boxset
Monday, November 08, 2004
Title: ‘The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans
Various Artists
You may still be mulling over election results but retailers are gearing up for the Christmas sales season. This is the time of year when the major labels release their “superstar” albums for the year and, of course, big beautiful boxsets with equally big price points.
Usually boxsets do not sell in the numbers that single disc albums do but are thrown at for serious fans. This year there have been two “great” boxset releases; ‘Five Guys Walk Into a Bar’ by one of rock’s best bands The Faces, and, ‘Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queen The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans.’
The New Orleans boxset is probably the coolest gift one could give to a serious music fan. Four discs, a great box, and a terrific book inside, this boxset gives the listener a comprehensive over-view of America’s premier music city. While other communities have an impressive history of great music, for me, New Orleans of the bedrock of “American” music. The so-called Big Easy is the home of jazz, a heavy contender for rhythm & soul base, and certainly the town that birthed funk. By mixing music & culture, food & entertainment, and a sense of the mystical New Orleans music has given the town a swagger that other communities can’t mimic.
Each disc takes the listeners down a unique route. There will be well known names such as Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Louis Armstrong & Pete Fountain. There are also less known but equally brilliant tracks by acts that deserve to be known like; Walter Wolfman Washington, Sonny Landreth, Henry Butler, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The book, 84 pages long, includes sensational photographs, excellent sidebar graphics, and well written narratives that help the reader understand the history of this city and how it’s inhabitants blended together numerous cultures to create a bizarre but beautiful community. This boxset is an absolutely brilliant introductory to some of America’s best music and the listener’s interest will be warmly rewarded.
This is the perfect Holiday gift whether its for you or someone you know that loves great music. So yes, we're talking about Christmas here but don't let that slow you down, this is great music in a great package that you can listen to all year around.
Monday, November 08, 2004
Title: ‘The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans
Various Artists
You may still be mulling over election results but retailers are gearing up for the Christmas sales season. This is the time of year when the major labels release their “superstar” albums for the year and, of course, big beautiful boxsets with equally big price points.
Usually boxsets do not sell in the numbers that single disc albums do but are thrown at for serious fans. This year there have been two “great” boxset releases; ‘Five Guys Walk Into a Bar’ by one of rock’s best bands The Faces, and, ‘Doctors, Professors, Kings & Queen The Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans.’
The New Orleans boxset is probably the coolest gift one could give to a serious music fan. Four discs, a great box, and a terrific book inside, this boxset gives the listener a comprehensive over-view of America’s premier music city. While other communities have an impressive history of great music, for me, New Orleans of the bedrock of “American” music. The so-called Big Easy is the home of jazz, a heavy contender for rhythm & soul base, and certainly the town that birthed funk. By mixing music & culture, food & entertainment, and a sense of the mystical New Orleans music has given the town a swagger that other communities can’t mimic.
Each disc takes the listeners down a unique route. There will be well known names such as Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Louis Armstrong & Pete Fountain. There are also less known but equally brilliant tracks by acts that deserve to be known like; Walter Wolfman Washington, Sonny Landreth, Henry Butler, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The book, 84 pages long, includes sensational photographs, excellent sidebar graphics, and well written narratives that help the reader understand the history of this city and how it’s inhabitants blended together numerous cultures to create a bizarre but beautiful community. This boxset is an absolutely brilliant introductory to some of America’s best music and the listener’s interest will be warmly rewarded.
This is the perfect Holiday gift whether its for you or someone you know that loves great music. So yes, we're talking about Christmas here but don't let that slow you down, this is great music in a great package that you can listen to all year around.
Album Review: Johnny Winter, Second Winter (deluxe edition)
Johnny Winter
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Artist: Johnny Winter
Album: Second Winter (Deluxe Edition)
First things first, I love Johnny Winter. For me there’s nothing like a well played guitar and few have the catalogue of licks that Johnny Winter seems to be able to throw down endlessly. This album, Second Winter, was originally released back in 1969 when “rock” music’s golden age was peaking. Winter’s band, which included brother Edgar and bass player Tommy Shannon (who would later back Stevie Ray Vaughan as a member of Double Trouble) had just played Woodstock before recording this album. With his anointed status as one of rock’s upcoming superstar Winter had recently signed on as music’s largest solo contract artist with Columbia Records for more than a million dollars: which in 1969 was still a lot of money. So the band was hot and the world was listening.
Record companies mining the vaults for product is nothing new. Historically few labels have done it well. One of a couple of exceptions is Sony (CBS, Columbia, Epic, Okeh). Using the original recorded album, the label restore’s the original album artwork and then remixes and remasters, adds in additional tracks and then, dig this, give you ANOTHER disc of new music. So the packaging is excellent and you get some really great tunes. Now that’s smart marketing!
The second disc in this package is a nine track live concert from the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 and includes the most excellent SLOW electric blues track, “It’s My Own Fault.” While Winter may have been young he exhibits a litany of finesse and taste with his twelve minute cover this B. B. King track. The second disc also features the debut of brother Edgar’s instrumental track, ‘Frankenstein’ (which would become a hit five years later).
The original album includes two additional studio tracks; ‘Early in the Morning’ and ‘Tell the Truth.’ Already known as one of the great blues albums, the newly reissued Second Winter is a MUST OWN disc for any true fan of the electric blues. It’s only a minor leap to suggest that without this record and the success it brought to Winter there would never have been a scene to incubate a Lil’ Stevie Vaughan. This album will be heavily featured for the next month or so on KIWR’s Pacific Street Blues, Sundays from 9:00 a.m. – Noon.
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Artist: Johnny Winter
Album: Second Winter (Deluxe Edition)
First things first, I love Johnny Winter. For me there’s nothing like a well played guitar and few have the catalogue of licks that Johnny Winter seems to be able to throw down endlessly. This album, Second Winter, was originally released back in 1969 when “rock” music’s golden age was peaking. Winter’s band, which included brother Edgar and bass player Tommy Shannon (who would later back Stevie Ray Vaughan as a member of Double Trouble) had just played Woodstock before recording this album. With his anointed status as one of rock’s upcoming superstar Winter had recently signed on as music’s largest solo contract artist with Columbia Records for more than a million dollars: which in 1969 was still a lot of money. So the band was hot and the world was listening.
Record companies mining the vaults for product is nothing new. Historically few labels have done it well. One of a couple of exceptions is Sony (CBS, Columbia, Epic, Okeh). Using the original recorded album, the label restore’s the original album artwork and then remixes and remasters, adds in additional tracks and then, dig this, give you ANOTHER disc of new music. So the packaging is excellent and you get some really great tunes. Now that’s smart marketing!
The second disc in this package is a nine track live concert from the Royal Albert Hall in 1970 and includes the most excellent SLOW electric blues track, “It’s My Own Fault.” While Winter may have been young he exhibits a litany of finesse and taste with his twelve minute cover this B. B. King track. The second disc also features the debut of brother Edgar’s instrumental track, ‘Frankenstein’ (which would become a hit five years later).
The original album includes two additional studio tracks; ‘Early in the Morning’ and ‘Tell the Truth.’ Already known as one of the great blues albums, the newly reissued Second Winter is a MUST OWN disc for any true fan of the electric blues. It’s only a minor leap to suggest that without this record and the success it brought to Winter there would never have been a scene to incubate a Lil’ Stevie Vaughan. This album will be heavily featured for the next month or so on KIWR’s Pacific Street Blues, Sundays from 9:00 a.m. – Noon.
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