Mr. Wizard: Off to the Dry Ice Factory in the Sky

Pour a 'lil formaldehyde out. Mr. Wizard, who's last name apparently wasn't Wizard, passed away today. He will be missed.

Don Herbert, who as television's "Mr. Wizard" introduced generations of young viewers to the joys of science, died Tuesday. He was 89. Herbert, who had bone cancer, died at his suburban Bell Canyon home. (Associated Press)

David Chase Squeals from his Safe House

David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, hid out in France with his wife in order to avoid the media attention (and known public backlash, I think) of the end to his beloved series. In true Sopranos honor, with a nod to NJ which is also where Chase grew up, he granted one interview to the Newark Star Ledger.

Some excerpts:

"I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there," he says of the final scene.

"No one was trying to be audacious, honest to God," he added. "We did what we thought we had to do. No one was trying to blow people's minds or thinking, 'Wow, this'll (tick) them off.'

"People get the impression that you're trying to (mess) with them, and it's not true. You're trying to entertain them."

Some fans have assumed the ambiguous ending was Chase setting up the oft-rumored "Sopranos" movie.

"I don't think about (a movie) much," he said. "I never say never. An idea could pop into my head where I would go, 'Wow, that would make a great movie,' but I doubt it.

"I'm not being coy," he added. "If something appeared that really made a good 'Sopranos' movie and you could invest in it and everybody else wanted to do it, I would do it. But I think we've kind of said it and done it."

Link to the interview (NJ - Star Ledger)

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue...

I'm not going to waste everyone's time editorializing last night's episode. After all, it doesn't really matter what I think -- it's over. Nonetheless, few will argue that The Sopranos was perhaps the greatest television drama EVER. It changed our attitudes, exploited our biases, altered our speech, and kept us wanting more. To that end, I'm having a hard time picturing life without it. So, I thought I'd mention a few things that kept me entertained over the past eight years. Feel free to mention yours.

The Soprano house, Paulie's cancer references, Sil's taste in suits, watching AJ grow from an immature child into an immature adult, Artie Bucco, Tony eating prosciutto, the opening music, the closing music, Corrado's glasses, Bobby's train fetish, drug use, Johnnycakes, Vinnie Delpino -- i mean, Benny Fazio, tracksuits, subtle NYC references, AJ crying, SUVs, Paulie's mother, malapropisms, dream sequences, rearranging my entire Sunday plans to ensure I'd be home at 9:00, The Stugats, nude mistresses, Cleaver, Adriana in her underwear, the Bing, gnocchi, Christopher and Paulie stuck in the woods together, the fact that Carmela reminds me of my own mother, profanity, the wads of cash, Dr. Melfi's office, Ginny Sacrimoni jokes, the way Paulie says "Chrissy," the way Sil says "T," waste management, timing my dinner delivery to arrive at 8:50, not wanting last night's episode to end, and of course, Tony.

So, if anyone wants to grab a drink next Sunday night, I'm around...

Ryan Adams: Down In a Hole

If Ryan Adams and the Cardinals get any better, my head is going to explode. Thank you to 'Who's Driving The Bus' for this link to Ryan's cover of Alice In Chains "Down In a Hole" from Ulster Performing Arts Center in Kingston, NY on May 16, 2007.

American Idols - Use Me

Warning: American Idol chatter and enthusiasm. Do not read if this turns your stomach.

There is something about the live performance of Taylor Hicks and Elliot Yamin on this clip that just feels so right. First of all, it is nice to see the two cross collaborating "Jam Band-style" on this live version of Bill Wither's 'Use Me' at a live concert in Alabama. Second of all, singing a song called 'Use Me', after being subjected to the contractual handcuffs and goofy Ford commercial confines of America's favorite reality talent competition just screams perfection.

"Oh you just keep on using me until you use me up
Until you use me up"



In all reality (no pun intended) the best part of the clip is the tremendous vocal chops of Hicks and Yamin. Their voices suit this song perfectly and they seem so much more laid back in this environment seemingly in front of hundreds rather than millions. Plus, the band is really, really solid.

I'm really happy for these two as they seem to be able to separate themselves from the Clive Davis/Pop world much more so than many of the other late-round finalists whose voices and personalities are too thin to do anything else. I hope they are able to make music on their own terms for a long time.

Lesh Almost Rambles

Phil Lesh nearly made an appearance at Levon Helm Studios to participate in one of Levon's regular midnight rambles in Woodstock. What a historic night that would have been. Something tells me that this collaboration will happen sooner than later. One can only hope it will happen when I attend Levon's show at Summerstage in Central Park this month.

From Levon's messageboard:

Good morning, all! Another Ramble under our belt - I believe we're close to 100 of them to date. The show opened at about 7:45 with The Alexis P Suter Band. Following Alexis was another Levon Helm studios family-band, Ollabelle. Next on stage were our surprise guests, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings who gave a stellar performance. Finally, The Levon Helm Band entered the room and the electricity was inviggorating. The momentum built and the set included electric and accoustic favorites including: White Dove, Back to Memphis, Chest Fever, Tears of Rage, WS Walcott's Medicine Show, I Want To Know, Ophelia, Rain Down Tears, I Got Me A Woman and many, many more. Levon's guardian angel watched over the studio and even though a raging thunderstorm pounded our area, with over 2000 residents losing power throughout the night - the lights remained on at Levon Helm Studios! Unfortunately (for him), Phil Lesh wasn't able to make an appearance, but we forgive him and understand that his west coast to east coast flight, following by a full day of recording at Utopia Studios left him pretty well worn out and he opted out of the Ramble. His road crew came though and enjoyed the night on his behalf! Thank you for coming and we welcome you all back any time. I thank you ALL for braving the wicked summer storm - nothing stops Levon's fans from being at the "barn" for a show.

Bonnaroo Countdown: 7 Days

So here we are. One week until I leave yet again for the 'Roo. With these few days in between me and my annual trip to Manchester, I'd like to provide you with my Top 5 Bonnaroo sets that I've attended (I only missed 2005).

In reverse order:

5. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - 2006

Running through one of the finest Greatest Hits sets that any band in the world is capable of performing, TP+H executed their classics to perfection. Tom was clearly soaking in the massive crowd going bananas in front of him and put that energy back onto the crowd. I can't imagine that anyone walked away from this set without a huge grin and a sore throat from singing every word. Highlights included a duet with the ageless Stevie Nicks on "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" and a slowed-down "Learning To Fly."

4. Widespread Panic - 2002

With both a surprise appearance by Steve Winwood and an encore of my (since that night) favorite tune perfomed by WSP, "City of Dreams", this was a historic two night run to close out the never to be replicated first Bonnaroo. None of us knew what to expect out of this festival and it was evident from the first notes of the Big Wu to the last notes of Panic that we were participaing in something truly special. A city of dreams indeed.

3. Drive By Truckers - 2003

With increasing critical praise of their two-disc masterpiece 'Southern Rock Opera' circulating in the music press, a still virtually unknown band of southern rockers took to the stage for an afternoon set and converted an increasingly packed tent into rabid fans. The highlight was the set closing "Let There Be Rock" anchored by the group's now defunct three guitar attack of Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, and Jason Isbell.

2. Dave Matthews and Friends - 2004

With a band of Friends featuring guitarists Trey Anastasio and Tim Reynolds and armed with a solo disc that was one of my favorite albums of the year, this set by Dave and company was one of most anticipated of the festival. It met my high exepectations and then some. Just two months shy of the musically messy Coventry, Trey appeared and sounded great on covers "Up On Cripple Creek", "Hey Bulldog," and the 20-minute set closing funk freakout, Sly Stone's "Thank You."

1. Neil Young - 2004

Serving as both my favorite Bonnaroo set out of all five years I've attended the festival and my favorite concert of all time, this rock show from Neil Young and Crazy Horse was epic from the opening "Love to Burn" to the closing "Down By The River." Coming into Tennessee mid-Greendale rock opera tour, in which Neil was playing few hits, I expected to see a run through of the musical with only a couple of the favorites. After all, Neil does whatever he wants. Neil played nothing from the Greendale album and instead played a no-nonsense psychedelic ear-splitting set extending his best songs upwards of 30 minutes each. Different from Tom Petty, it didn't even matter what song the band was playing because they were just on fire for three straight hours. Neil turned this short setlist of 12 songs into 180 minutes of the best show this young concert veteran has ever witnessed:

Love to Burn
Sedan Delivery
Powderfinger
Hey Hey My My
Cortex the Killer
Fuckin' Up
Like a Hurricaine
Be the Rain
Cinnamon Girl
Rockin' in the Free World
Roll Another Number
Down By the River

Honarable Mention: Flaming Lips (2003) and Radiohead (2006)

Have you been to Bonnaroo? What are your Top 5?

Monterey Pop on VH1

The original documentary "Monterey 40" Premieres Saturday, June 16 AT 9 PM ET/PT. The film is set to premiere on VH1 Classic and will be simulcast on VH1. The Monterey International Pop Festival was nothing short of a defining moment in rock and roll history. The three-day event, held June 16-18, 1967, ushered in the Summer of Love and featured an unprecedented bill of racially, musically diverse acts that showed rock's power to change the world.

"Monterey 40" will tell the story of this historic event from conception to event to aftermath to lasting impact from the perspective of musicians, organizers, audience members and visual documentarians. The film will include new interviews with Paul McCartney, David Crosby, Michelle Phillips, Pete Townshend, Grace Slick, Bob Weir, Micky Dolenz, Ravi Shankar, Clive Davis, Jann Wenner and Paul Kantner among others.

Source: Starpulse

Take a look at this historic lineup (courtesty of Wikipedia). That Sunday lineup is unbelievable.

Friday, June 16
The Association
The Paupers
Lou Rawls
Beverly
Johnny Rivers
The Animals
Simon and Garfunkel

Saturday, June 17
Canned Heat
Big Brother & The Holding Company
Country Joe and The Fish
Al Kooper
The Butterfield Blues Band
Quicksilver Messenger Service
Steve Miller Band
The Electric Flag
Moby Grape
Hugh Masekela
The Byrds
Laura Nyro
Jefferson Airplane
Booker T and The MG's
Otis Redding

Sunday, June 18
Ravi Shankar
The Blues Project
Big Brother & The Holding Company
The Group With No Name
Buffalo Springfield
The Who
Grateful Dead
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Scott McKenzie
The Mamas & The Papas

Paul Gets Back

Paul McCartney is to play a 'secret' show in London tonight, it has been announced.

Details of the last-minute concert were confirmed today, with the legendary former Beatle set to appear at the Electric Ballroom in Camden.

Tickets for the show, which will have a capacity of just a few hundred, can be won in a number of competitions running online today.

There is also an allocation at the venue. Tickets are available to personal callers from the box office from 12.30pm today. Photo ID is required.

McCartney released his acclaimed new album, "Memory Almost Full", on Monday.

Source: music-news.com

Whether or not you're opposed to Paul and his deal with Starbucks or you agree with The Weight that "Freedom" was an abomination of a song or you think that Paul broke up the Beatles, you have to admit that you would go see Paul in a tiny venue if given the chance. I don't care what Paul has done since the Beatles broke up, he's still the man who wrote many many songs for the greatest band of all time. Word on the street is that Paul will be playing some "secret" shows in the States soon too. I was able to find online that the Electric Ballroom holds a mere 800 people. I wonder how many people the Cavern Club held??

U2: In The Studio

According to music-news.com:

U2 are recording new material in Morocco with long time collaborator Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. Their website says the band have set up a studio in Morocco's medieval city of Fez where they have been holed up until the wee hours of the morning writing and recording for the past couple of weeks.

A report from someone with the band in Fez says "they're on a roll and the ideas are coming thick and fast."