MOG - nordico's Posts

The Black Strat

nordico — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:41:47 GMT

Hey, I just took delivery of "The Black Strat" written by Phil Taylor, and it's absolutely incredible. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles the history of David Gilmour's signature guitar in the many versions and forms it's taken over the years. The book is satisfyingly technical with great photos and details of the modifications (and there have been a ton!) and tweaks that make this guitar nothing like it was when originally purchased at Manny's in New York way back when. It also goes a long way to explain how Gilmour has hewn such wonderful and unique tone throughout his career. Phil Taylor has been David Gilmour's guitar technician forever and a major presence in Gilmour's solo and Pink Floyd careers. Some of the receipts and order forms that are pictured in the book are really interesting, and much of Taylor's correspondence with vendors are eye-opening to say the least. There are also GREAT close-up photos of pick-up replacements, shielding and insulation, and myriad little details that are just fascinating. Which is not to say that The Black Strat is a technical manual, because it most certainly isn't! Any fan of Pink Floyd will love it because the book never gets bogged down in hardware. In fact, more than anything, The Black Strat is a picture book, with "expanded" captions!!! Gilmour's other guitars get plenty of attention, too, as Taylor's very matter of fact descriptions and reminiscences make a totally compelling history of one the most original and creative musicians ever. I ordered my copy off the Pink Floyd "Brain Damage" site in the UK, and received my book from England in about a week. Anyway, I'm loving it, and I highly recommend it.

Steve Forbert Has Still Got It!

nordico — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:40:27 GMT

Back in the early 80's, all my friends and I were totally into Steve Forbert. It was always difficult to put finger on precisely what made him so great: kind of a rocked out folkie from Mississippi, but he was really from everywhere and his songs projected a universality that was really engaging and easy to connect with. We knew all the songs word for word, and his lyrics were always clever, "Life is strange, but compared to what?" Stevie's arrangements and rhythms were unique and perfect for the time. I know he had a couple of singles that got airplay, the last of which may have been something like "Every Time You Walk Into The Room" was the last one I remember. Anyway, as vinyl gave way to CD, I lost touch with Steve Forbert but I always noticed he was out there recording and touring. This past weekend I was at Amoeba and picked up a couple of CDs, "Strange Names and New Sensations" and "Rocking Horse Head." The songs on "Strange Places" are hitting me all over again. I'm from New Jersey, and grew up in Denville which is, right next to Rockaway, down the road from Whippany and Parsippany, all featured in "Strange Names (Northern New Jersey's Got Em). And when Stevie sings about "Middle Age" and the changes in attitude, perspective and reality that come with it, he's right on the mark. "Baghdad Dream" encapsulates the mess in Iraq with appropriate sarcasm and disdain. And there's a really sweet reprise of "Romeo's Tune" that reflects the time and mileage that have passed since the 80's, but it's just as real as ever. "Simply Spaulding Grey" takes some shots at mass media and pop culture, but if you don't listen TOO carefully, it's just a sweet, sweet song! It feels great to be reconnected with one of my favorite artists ever, and one can't help but wonder why Steve Forbert never made it really big. But at the same time, I think that he's been able to continue to make music on his own terms for the past 30 years. Check out "What It Is, Is A Dream" sometime, and it just might bring tears to your eyes. Glad I found you again, Stevie. Thanks for the memories, and thanks for all the exciting new material that still works for me and others like me.

Gore Gore Girls!!!

nordico — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 17:20:20 GMT

I went to the Echoplex the other night for the Irving show (which was fantastic!) and I was completely blown away by the opening act, the Gore Gore Girls. Like some whacked-out post-apocalyptic vision of Nancy Sinatra as lethal fem-bots in their vinyl minidresses, these girls create quite a spectacle! HOWEVER, once they start playing, any hint of artifice is shattered as they throw some serious riffs and harmonies straight at you. Perfectly balancing their bad-girl snarls with rock-solid musicianship (the Gore Gore's are all up and down the necks of those beautiful hollowbody Gretsch guitars), they had the crowd locked in for their entire set. Great backline support from drum and bass, crashing, ringing chords from Amy, (I think) the lead singer, and wild Neil Young-y, Keith Richards-y, and dare I say Duane Eddy-y lead lines all delivered with JUST the right verve and attitude made this a very, very memorable experience. Keep an eye out for the Girls, and go see them.

Great Northern: As Good As It Gets!

nordico — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:48:09 GMT

For those of us fortunate enough to see and hear Great Northern perform at Spaceland last night, time seemed to stand still for about an hour as the band set down a groove that at once mesmerized and intrigued the sellout crowd that gathered in our cozy little neighborhood club. The crowd was pumped; to see Great Northern perform their 10-song set in a venue this intimate amped up the anticipation of a great show, one of those "you had to be there" nights.

Great Northern's performance was nothing short of spectacular! Beautiful vocal harmonies and swirling, gritty instrumentation consistently created a deeply atmospheric quality that was hypnotizing. This band projects a quiet confidence in themselves and their ability to deliver their unique brand of music. And it's very interesting to note that the crowd seemed to understand that too, as witnessed by their absolute silence as the players prepared to begin each song. And that was really cool, because perhaps the most satisfying aspect of Great Northern is the way they build each song "from the ground up" until, before you know it, there's so much depth and character in the sound that the groove seems to have taken on a life of its own.

And that's just the way it went last night. Rock-solid rhythms rolling out from the backline, punctuated by occasional time signature shifts, became the endless wave that the aforementioned harmonies rode to absolute perfection. And the variety of vocal sounds achieved through different mics, effects, etc. enhanced the deeply textured and polished sound that Great Northern has created its reputation on. I was told that the band extended the afternoon sound check to make sure that the sound would be perfect for the show, and it was! Kudos and thanks to Great Northern and sound mixer Joe Maiorano.

As much as last night was a "welcome back" show for Great Northern during an extensive stint of touring, one also gets the sense that this band is going places, and the sheer joy of seeing them completely on top of their game in front of their legion of loyal fans in a small club was a real treat.

If you haven't got the album, get it. It's great! If you have a chance to see Great Northern live, do it. These are four highly talented musicians who display remarkable precision and creative flexibility at every turn. Last night was awesome. It was great to see Great Northern back home and to wish them luck in all that lies ahead!

Setlist: 4 Weeks Our Bleeding Hearts Just A Dream Telling Lies A Sun A Sound Low Is A Height City Of Sleep Home The Middle Into The Sun

You Gotta See Rush!

nordico — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:17:49 GMT

Ok, I just got back from the Hollywood Bowl and Rush absolutely KILLED! This is not some old-guy reunion tour, but instead an awesome 3-hour explosion of rock-solid music and visuals that had the crowd on its feet for nearly the entire show. They played a lot of stuff off the new "Snakes and Arrows" album which meshed perfectly with their classics. And they played a ton of songs! I read somewhere else that they play 27 songs in this show! I've never considered myself a big Rush fan, but they've certainly been prominent in my musical landscape. I took my brother-in-law, who was a big fan back in the day, to the show, and it the show went from 0-60 IMMEDIATELY, and never let up until the end. All three guys in the band are rock-solid musicians, and they're very much on top of their game. The lighting was beautifully kinetic, featuring many deep dense tones and trippy effects. There's also a strong sense of comedy in the visuals/video screen material that keeps things very loose and enjoyable. Hey Geddy, what's up with those chicken roasters???? Anyway, this is one totally cool rock show that's one of the highlights of the summer. Rush may be headed to your town, and I hope you get out and see them!

Andrew Bird - Seeing is Believing

nordico — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 01:14:07 GMT

I just saw Andrew Bird for the first time last night at the Hollywood Bowl, and I'll say right off that words alone cannot describe the multi-dimensional talents that this guy and his band put on display as day turned to night.

I've been listening to Andrew Bird's music for only a couple of months, and it's a tasteful blend of technical virtuosity, creative musical ideas/patterns and quirky insightful narrative. And it's got complexity which is really engaging.

Anyway, Andrew Bird grabbed the audience's attention immediately and never let go. He was playing, like, five instruments at a time, and all these textures just took the music (and the audience)to unexpected intellectual and emotional destinations. The other two guys in the band are incredible musicians as well, multi-tasking on several instruments during each song.

Without belaboring the point, seeing the performance live brought the whole Andrew Bird thing into sharp focus. The atmosphere was perfect, the bowl glowing in different pastel shades, three musicians weaving some serious waves through the space, and this giant, double-horned rotating "Leslie" speaker, painted carnival-red and and center stage, gave the whole affair a surreal quality that made this one of my favorite musical experiences of all time!

Oh yeah, He opened for the Decemberists. Probably not for too much longer.