He was Elvis to a lot of people

Kurt Cobain would’ve turned 45-years-old today.


c/o World Falls Down

“He had the desperation, not the courage, to be himself. Once you do that you can’t go wrong, because you can’t make any mistakes when people love you for being yourself. But for Kurt, it didn’t matter that other people loved him; he simply didn’t love himself enough.”
~ Dave Reed, one-time foster father

Just Thinking Out Loud: Still the standard

Recently described in The Los Angeles Times as “a sort of collaboration with their past,” Van Halen’s first album with David Lee Roth in 28 years is destined to remind enthusiasts about the days of glory engendered by the band’s first six albums; understandable since Roth has acknowledged that much of the material used for A Different Kind of Truth originated from collaborations that occurred “literally, in 1975, 1976 and 1977.”

Whereas revisiting the past is usually a sign of regression, perhaps nothing will be more applauded this time around by the devotees of a band which, not that long ago, was deemed inconsequential, if not finished altogether. If Van Halen III didn’t feel like their demise was imminent, then the active roster’s total absence for their own induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame was surely the band’s death knell — or so it seemed.

Few bands have a more impassioned fan base. Consequently, eagerness for another album never fully waned, as disappointment was always coupled with hopeful expectation for a return to form. And now it seems that fans’ patience has been recompensed at last. Indeed pure Rock, for lack of a better description, is Van Halen’s forte. They raised the bar repeatedly, so perhaps we shouldn’t be altogether surprised by possibly the only band capable of composing such a fun, almost innocent, feel-good classic about a tawdry stripper (“Panama”).

Kids today need to be reminded that Rock isn’t a meager genre’ reserved for aging hipsters desperately clinging to their youth. Most of the newer breed isn’t up to snuff, but the elder statesmen (alongside AC/DC, Metallica, etc.) have answered the call yet again. And now we’re given an album that provides the best of both worlds: DLR’s forestalled return in conjunction with a showcase for Eddie’s re-ascendance to his rightful place on the shredders throne.

A Different Kind of Truth may not be Van Halen’s all-time greatest effort, but the release is nevertheless a far cry from the frustration to which fans had become entirely too accustomed. Welcome back guys. You have been missed.

Iconic Shot: Still the Kings

Metallica recently observed their 30-year anniversary as one of the heaviest Rock/Metal groups ever to break into the mainstream. The picture below, shot in the Yucca Corridor of Los Angeles, was taken amid the earliest days of the “Black Album” era just as they hit a level of international success which, 20 years later, shows no sign of fading.

While the genre they epitomize presently lounges in a state of disarray, we can always expect Hetfield & Co. to set the standard by which all others will be judged.

© Metallica, via their “Through the Years” Facebook album

"Beastie," then and now

The picture above is a somewhat grainy still shot taken by yours truly, without permission, at exactly the 23-minute mark of a short film released by The Beastie Boys earlier this year called "Fight For Your Right (Revisted)," the premise of which is based upon the legendary hip-hop trio causing a ruckus through the streets of New York City during the early days of their initial mainstream success, circa 1986.

Toward the end of their path of destruction, they end up meeting themselves 25 years into the future – whereupon their past selves (played by Elijah Wood, Seth Rogen and Danny McBride) and their present/future selves (played by Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly) proceed to urinate on each other, quite relentlessly, for what seems like hours.

The satirical take on their existence as a group may, or may not, be worth a look if you get a chance.

People I Want to Fight: Chet Haze

c/o Gawker

As I've said before, this is not to be taken too seriously. PIWtF is a mere outlet (i.e., open-handed slap) that's intended to express a certain annoyance, for whatever reason(s). Enjoy.

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Some 20 years ago, New Kids on the Block were enjoying the fruits of being promoted by MTV almost every other hour. Though four of the guys in the group were relatively innocent, Donnie was the undisputed bad boy. He was the one looking tough – Or was it Hangin' Tough? – riding motorcycles, trashing hotel rooms and getting into trouble with the cops.

While it's naive to think celebrities are naturally inclined act like angels on their own accord, Donnie appeared to revel in the attention that came with being the tough White guy for whom many submitted a certain degree of respect that ordinarily lacks among the boy band set. Unknowingly perhaps, Donnie and all his exploits were also a precursor to what lay ahead.

With precious few exceptions, Rap is almost exclusively a Black man's game. Established upon a hypercompetitive culture that holds less than no regard for the weak and timid, the realm of Hip Hop is guarded by its devotees with a fervency that remains unmatched among any other genre'. So, of course, it comes as little surprise when a brash White guy – Eminem notwithstanding – thinks he can crash the party like it ain't no thang.

Enter Chet Haze (pictured), an aspiring rapper from California and current student at the prestigious Northwestern University. He may seem a bit mundane, if not altogether full of himself, at first. Yet a closer look reveals that this is no ordinary White guy. He's also Tom Hanks' son. And he has a bad case of potty mouth.

In an effort to make a name for himself in the Hip Hop arena, Chet ripped off Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" with a version of his own called "White and Purple," a nod to the college for which Chet's world famous father is likely paying top dollar for his wayward son to attend. That alone is enough to have his ghetto pass revoked for life (if he ever had one at all).

Like his brother Mark, the aforementioned Donnie Wahlberg managed to shift his abilities from behind the microphone into a respectable career in front of the camera. The future of entertainment isn't nearly as bright for Chet. Along with fellow White rapper wannabe Pablo Dylan, the grandson of Bob (yes, that Bob Dylan), Chet is almost predestined to go the way of other plain White rappers like Married With Children star David Faustino (aka, D Lil') and Beverly Hills 90210 alum Brian Austin Green.

Privileged White guys don't belong in the Rap game. In fact most of them are mocked and dismissed on the spot, and that's the way it should be.

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"I get my balls served more than Serena playin' tennis."
– Chet Haze

On This Day in History

1456 – Better late than never (I guess): A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after she was unjustly burned at the stake.  She was finally canonized by the Catholic church 453 years later in 1909.

1928 – Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Chillicothe, Missouri.  So when someone says you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, they're really saying that you're the best thing to come along in the past 83 years.

1940 – Richard Starkey – better known as Ringo Starr, or as I prefer it, the luckiest man who ever lived – was born in Liverpool, England.

1954 – Elvis Presley made his radio debut when WHBQ in Memphis played "That's Alright Mama," his first recording for Sun Records.  Formerly an R&B station, WHBQ became a sports-themed station in the late '80s that currently boasts one of the worst morning rush hour shows among any of the major radio markets.  Believe me on that one.

1985 – Boris Becker, at age 17, became the youngest player ever to win Wimbledon.  He did it again the following year en route to six career major championships along with an impressive 38-3 record in Davis Cup competition.  He remains one of my all-time favorites.

Information obtained via Wikipedia and confirmed, with revisions, through various sources. 

It's probably true (even if you won't admit it)

Original source unknown

Iconic Shot: Dave and The King

c/o The Official Elvis Presley Facebook page

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl pays homage to Elvis at Graceland just prior to his band's show at the FedEx Forum here in Memphis on May 20, 2011.  I'm told the Foo boys played over 25 songs in their set, far more than the average concert normally lasts.  They do it because they care, which is just one reason why Kurt Cobain's former drummer is, quite possibly, the Elvis of Generation X.

Thank you, Europe

An open letter to my European counterparts –

Kurt Cobain killed himself 17 years ago today, and Rock has more or less struggled here in the United States for whatever reason(s) ever since.  Thankfully, however, the genre is thriving on your side of the Atlantic.

Having recently caught a rebroadcast of Muse's main stage performance of "Resistance" at the 2010 Oxegen festival near Kildare, Ireland, I now possess a better understanding why these three lads from Devon (southwest England) have become such an international sensation.  Yet it was the crowd – some 75,000 strong – that left even more of a lasting impression.

Europa has a reputation for loyalty.  You support the acts you appreciate without regard to those who may not grasp your brand of enjoyment, freely singing, dancing and flailing about with a constancy matched only by an equally well-known devotion to culture and sports (especially football/soccer).

Many of your American cousins, on the other hand, are jaded and easily distracted.  Having once matched your passion, we have substituted the natural autonomy that formerly defined us with a consuming desire for all things "cool," often becoming trendy and specious without realizing it.  But it hasn't always been that way; by no means.

That festive sentimentality we once shared with the world, the plentitude of which flowed with such ease just a decade ago, is not forgotten.  Indeed an increasing groundswell desirous for a return to such placid days, even in the face of a soulless pop-oriented opposition that flourishes amid this nauseating era of antipathy, is cultivated by something intangible that can be ignored no longer.

I may love Britney Spears, for instance, like every other red-blooded heterosexual male.  But she's mere eye candy.  In fact, it's often necessary to remind me that my fellow Southerner best known for singing (or some variant thereof).  And that's part of the point.  With the emphasis clearly shifted from substance to superficial mass appeal, it is little wonder that mainstream music, once the most reliable standard of entertainment, is now laboring so greatly to recapture past glory.

Make no mistake, dear allies, the scene isn't dead.  But it is struggling here in the States like never before.  Yet I am hopeful for a movement – another "British invasion" perhaps – that engenders a great awakening to rid us of the monotony that has brought us to this point.  Our respective governments may differ, but our similarities are profound nevertheless.  So please learn from our mindless blunders and know that you might very well hold the key to better days ahead.

Iconic Shot: Hetfield

© 2011 Metallica, all rights reserved.  Click to enlarge.

Respectfully borrowed from the "2007-2009" pictures section of Metallica's website, this is simply one of the greatest pictures in the history of photography.  TEC hopes the mighty Hetfield doesn't sue me (or beat me up) for featuring this pic without consent.

Did You Know (or Care): Michael Jackson

According to Yahoo.com music columnist Paul Grein, Michael Jackson's Thriller debuted, not at #1, but at #11 on the Billboard chart in December 1982 (released on November 30).  "The Girl Is Mine," a duet with Paul McCartney, was the lead single, but sales did not take off until "Billie Jean" was released as the follow-up.  Despite the slow start, Thriller has sold no less than 65 million copies worldwide en route to becoming the biggest selling album of all-time.

List Fest: The 20 most symbolic albums of Generation X

We enjoy lists because they provide a more distinctive means of processing information.  Breaking the initial monotony of plowing through one paragraph after another possibly amplifies our increasing inability to peruse over much of anything for more than five seconds.  Yet our preference for commingling information with some form of entertainment has become the standard nevertheless -- dwindling attention spans be damned.  Hence your humble purveyor is adding a new feature to this ever-evolving blog, simply called, "List Fest."

A piece in the current issue of Esquire (p. 156) described anger as, "The latest in a recent string of sentiments to define the collective American experience."  Truer words may never have been written.  Verily the anger and cynicism that also symbolize America's most nondescript postmodern generation (currently 29-49 years-old) is a recurring theme in the following list that respectfully attempts, through music, to encapsulate who Generation X really is:

#20. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis

Chosen for addition to the National Recording Registry in 2002, Davis's magnum opus also features the equally gifted John Coltrane on saxophone.  Released, astonishingly, 51 years ago this month, keynote instrumentals such as "Blue in Green" invite even the most trendy hipsters to enjoy the inspired work of a master at his finest.  (See also the Liquid Mind series by Chuck Wild)

#19. Greatest Hits 1970-2002 by Elton John

This three-disc collection features over 40 songs, some two-and-a-half hours his all-time best, that span the career of an iconoclast -- to whom virtually anyone can relate -- whose talent is only surpassed by his originality.  (See also Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits by Elvis Presley)

#18. Reason to Believe by Pennywise

Having followed Radiohead's lead by initially releasing their ninth studio album as a free digital download, riff-heavy tunes such as "One Reason," "The Western World" and "Die for You" are the socially thematic songs by which these melodic California punk rockers would be appreciated if only more Gen Xers knew about them.

#17. Singles (original motion picture soundtrack), various artists

Nirvana unknowingly kicked the door in for the grunge explosion during the early '90s, but it's this lineup of angst-ridden songs by which Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and The Smashing Pumpkins owe much of their multi-platinum success.  Despite the prevalence of this Seattle-based collection of songs, it is the melancholic "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" by Mother Love Bone that perhaps defines this album best for America's "13th generation."  (See also Ten by Pearl Jam, Dirt by Alice in Chains and Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden)

#16. The Wall by Pink Floyd

A concept double album largely based upon the life experiences of bassist/lyricist Roger Waters, songs that speak of a desire to build a "wall" of protection from the outside world have resonated with both fans and casual listeners for over 30 years en route to becoming one of the best-selling albums of all-time.

#15. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins

Once billed as "The Wall for Generation X," Billy Corgan broke all ties with the Pumpkin's grunge background with a double album, loosely conceptual in scope, that deals unpretentiously with the realities of life, which is further complimented by a surprising level of emotion and depth.

#14. Reise, Reise by Rammstein

Although the originators of the "New German Hardness" (Neue Deutsche Härte) hit the American scene in 1997 with Sehnsucht (German for Longing), this is the bone-crushing album -- on which virtually no English is spoken -- that requires no lyrical comprehension to be understood.  Dark and heavy as hell itself, industrial masterpieces "Keine Lust" (No Desire), "Amerika" (America) and the disturbing "Mein Teil" (My Part) grab listeners by the neck from start to finish.  Considering the largely nihilistic sentiment of Generation X, this album (similar to #18) would be considered a classic if only more people knew about it.

#13. IV (aka, ZoSo) by Led Zeppelin

Also called The Hermit and ZoSo, this is the purest rock album from one of the greatest bands ever.  Classic Rock remains central to Gen X, and with a roster of songs that receive regular air play nearly 40 years after its release, no further explanation about the importance of IV should be required.  (See also Electric Ladyland by Jimi Hendrix)

#12. Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Still the kings of Southern Rock after all these years, "Tuesday's Gone," "Simple Man" and, of course, "Free Bird" highlight an album that even the most ardent disregarders of this under-appreciated genre', which refects Americana so thoroughly, can appreciate.  (See also Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 by The Eagles)

#11. Thriller by Michael Jackson

Some would argue that the biggest-selling album in music history deserves nothing but the top spot on any list.  Multi-generational in its appeal, Michael Jackson's career defining achievement is only hindered by the fact that Thriller is entirely pop -- a genre' notorious for not always speaking to those longing for a voice to which they can relate.  That said, every Quincy Jones-produced tune is simply amazing.  (See also Purple Rain by Prince and Rhythm Nation 1814 by Janet Jackson)

#10. The Joshua Tree by U2

A band that somehow sounds much larger in scope than merely three musicians and one singer, U2 were already Gen X favorites when The Joshua Tree was released in 1987.  Yet this is the definitive album, the only one that can be called "important," which cemented the Irish foursome's legacy forever.

#9. Metallica (aka, The Black Album) by Metallica

Metallica were playing sold-out arenas all over the world before mainstream America discovered who they were.  Yet this is the release that forced even the most alternative jet setters to listen until their ears bled.  Sadly 17 years would pass before fans would be given a worthy follow-up to this "arena rock" masterpiece.

#8. Nevermind by Nirvana

An album that inspired rich kids to hate their parents and wear flannel in the middle of summer, the unwitting purveyors of a grunge movement-gone-global engendered an unlikely music revolution that wouldn't come to a grinding halt until its poet-king ended his own life.

#7. Untouchables by Korn

All killer with no filler, Korn's finest (and heaviest) release abandons all previous hip-hop influences and gets straight to the point with one anger-fueled assault after another, and Gen X responded in a multi-platinum way.  As one would assume from the covert art alone, this one is strictly for the hardcore.

#6. Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthews Band

An appreciation of bands like Phish and Widespread Panic isn't necessary to understand the infectious vibe of an album which thrust Dave Matthews Band into the mainstream without losing its college town credibility.  Despite the multi-platinum success in the years that followed, this is the one Gen X will always respect the most.

#5. 1984 by Van Halen

David Lee Roth's final appearance as Van Halen's frontman (until further notice) took a stylistically different direction from the band's previous five albums, but the upbeat vibe generally remained the same.  Over a quarter-century after its release, 1984 remains Van Halen's defining achievement.

#4. Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,

the eponymous "White Album" and Abbey Road by The Beatles

These four lads from Liverpool changed the world of music with every album they released, but their five album stretch from 1965-1969 (minus Yellow Submarine) are what make The Beatles the most important band that will ever exist.  Some 40 years after they broke up, The Beatles remain tops among the bands that impacted Generation X the most.

#3. Back in Black by AC/DC

The spirit of perseverance is thematic from start to finish on Back in Black.  The cathartic reaction this album receives 30 years after its release proves that even the most cynical Gen Xers still possess the utmost respect for real men.  On a side note, the definitive hard rock album of all-time (the second-biggest seller, behind only Thriller) was released on The Eccentric Conservative's fourth birthday.  And yours truly could not be more proud of that.

#2. Core by Stone Temple Pilots

Initially labeled as a grunge rip-off, STP's debut was released to lukewarm reviews that were colored, in part, by the aforementioned genre' that dominated the music landscape.  Yet Core has stood the test of time, as most of the songs -- driven by some of the heaviest power chords of the era -- center upon themes that remain relevant to this day.

#1. Urban Hymns by The Verve

If there was ever an album on which Generation X could have a listen and say, "They know what I'm thinking," then this is most likely it.  "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is the album's most noted tune, but the remaining roster of songs -- "Sonnet," "Space and Time," "Lucky Man" "One Day" and "This Time," among others -- are capable of piercing the hardest of hearts.  Have a listen for any reason.  (See also Kid A by Radiohead, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis and the eponymous debut by The Stone Roses)

Iconic Shot(s): Dave, a nice sunset, & a "Million Dollar Quartet"

(click to enlarge)

Dave Matthews Band performs at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival last Sunday in Manchester, Tennessee.  Photo by Mark Humphrey

"Sunset at 10,000 feet"

© Eric Rolph

"Memphis" won four Tony awards, including one for Best Musical, last Sunday.  So here's another piece of music history from the city of Memphis.

The above picture is the only known shot of an impromptu jam session that took place at Sun Studios in downtown Memphis between Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.  Dubbed "The Million Dollar Quartet" by Memphis Press-Scimitar entertainment editor Bob Johnson, a comprehensively detailed story about the picture, including the identity of the woman in the shot (unknown for over 50 years) can be found here.

On This Day in History: April 23

1635: The first public school in the United States, Boston Latin School, is founded in Boston, Massachusetts.  In 2007 the school was named one of the top twenty high-schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

1910: Theodore Roosevelt made his "The Man in the Arena" speech at the University of Paris in France.  Later re-printed in his book Citizenship in a Republic, a notable portion was spoken by our 26th President as follows --

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

1948: In a key battle, a major port in Israel called Haifa is captured from Arab forces during this particular Arab-Israeli War (of which there have been at least six).  Israel's decisive victory 11 months later led to the 1949 Armistice Agreements that established boundaries between Israel and the West Bank.  "The Green Line," as it was called, would hold for 18 years.

1985: Coca-Cola releases the ill-fated "New Coke."  After a promising start, public response becomes acutely negative.  In fact many Southerners who consider the drink a part of their regional identity viewed Coca-Cola's decision to change the flavor as another surrender to the Yankees.  Ultimately the original formula is returned to the market in less than 3 months.

1988: Pink Floyd's album, The Dark Side of the Moon, leaves the charts for the first time after spending a record of 741 consecutive weeks (over 14 years) on the Billboard 200.

1997: Attackers armed with knives, sabers, and guns killed 42 men, women, and children in the Algerian village of Omaria.  One report told of a pregnant woman whose unborn baby was literally ripped from her body and hacked apart.  Called "Islamic terrorists" by the U.S. State Department, these like-minded aggressors were responsible for 13 declared massacres in Algeria for the year.

2009: A gamma ray burst, labeled "GRB 090423," is observed for 10 seconds near the constellation Leo by the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission satellite.  To date over 500 GRBs have been detected, but the first one is still recognized as both the most distant object of any kind and the oldest known object in the universe.

Something different

The group is called Lovespirals, and I pretty much discovered them by accident.  Hope you like it.