A 'Motley' mission accomplished

By ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
August 1, 2011

I've never really been one to try and go backstage at concerts. Considering I've covered literally hundreds of them over the past 19 years for The Times Leader and The Weekender, you'd think I'd have a wall of laminates in my collection. But I don't. If I had to guess, I'd say I've only gone backstage about 20 times over the years, and I've only done so when I was a big, longtime fan of the artist.

On Sunday night at Montage Mountain, with Motley Crue back in town, I ventured backstage for the first time in a few years. I'd known the band professionally for about 15 years, interviewed them many times, and even back in high school, I was the first kid on the school bus to blast their music. I saw them at Pocono Downs back in '87, at the old Spectrum in Philly, at the F.M. Kirby Center, at Montage a bunch of times, in Camden, N.J., and at the arena in Wilkes-Barre. On one occasion, as part of a radio contest, I even saw them play in somebody's backyard. In total, it's probably been about 10 times that I've caught them live.

On Sunday night, I was on a bit of a mission. And it was both personal and professional. And it all evolved around something that I doubt many of our readers even know: In 1999, I wrote the liner-notes to the entire Motley Crue CD catalog. And though I'm sometimes asked why my name is on all of their albums, and how it all came about, I don't think it's anything I've ever written about. So I'll explain ...

In late 1998, the band had played in Wilkes-Barre and I had done an interview with Vince Neil to advance the show. The story was also picked up by one of the national entertainment news wires and it ran in newspapers all across the United States. I'd also covered Motley's 1997 show in Philadelphia. In 1999, I got a call from the band's publicist telling me that the group really liked my stories on them, and they wanted to know if I would be willing to work with them on a new CD project and write their bio. Of course, I was.

The albums, titled "Crucial Crue," were the original Motley Crue albums, but were digitally-remastered and included special bonus tracks. They also included all new liner-notes written by me with the help of the band. For several days in the spring of 1999, I interviewed Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Mick Mars on their recollections of various albums in their catalog. Those thoughts were then included on the new CDs. The band also credited me on each album. I sometimes joke that I might have to explain to St. Peter someday at the Pearly Gates why my name is on all of the Motley Crue albums. And I hope I get a pass. It was a lot of fun.

At the time of the project, Tommy Lee was in the band, but he never called when he was scheduled to do so for his interviews. Nobody knew why. Not even Nikki. I can still remember having phone conversations and e-mail exchanges with him where we both wondered what was going on. Eventually, with the deadline to finish the project approaching, Nikki filled in and covered all of the CDs that were originally assigned to Tommy. And it was just a few weeks later that we all learned that Tommy Lee had left Motley Crue.

"Well," I thought. "That explains that."

To the band's credit, ever since we worked on the project together, they've always treated this music columnist from Pennsylvania pretty good.  A few years back, when Motley played the arena in Wilkes-Barre, I had requested a phone interview, through the band's publicist, with Nikki, and was told he wasn't doing any one-on-one interviews with the press, just a group teleconference. I politely asked the publicist to tell Nikki it was me making the request. Soon, Nikki and I were chatting on the phone. And he gave me a great interview.    

I had also caught up with the band, sans Tommy, a few times around 1999 and 2000 while they were on tour. They were very nice. In fact, one year they sent a beautifully framed and autographed item commemorating CD sales of 30 million to the "Concert For Karen" rock auction. And when we met, Nikki, Mick and Vince all signed a copy of a "Dr. Feelgood" CD that I wrote the liner-notes for and the original story I wrote for the newspaper. But until yesterday, they were both still missing one signature: Tommy's.

Not any more.

He signed them both last night.

Though the "Crucial Crue" project was 12 years ago, they still hooked me up with a great pair of seats for last night's show and I was able to go back and say a quick hello to Mr. Sixx, who said he remembered the project well. And while Tommy was keeping to himself or roaming about somewhere else in the backstage area, the band's tour manager - who was also aware of the "Crucial Crue" project - asked him sign my two items. And he happily obliged.

Motley mission accomplished. "Crucial Crue," to me - after 12 years - is now complete. And maybe that's why, to me, "Dr. Feelgood" sounded particularly great last night.

Thanks, Crue.

It's always good to see ya.

Farewell to The Times Leader/The Weekender

Dear friends and readers,

Earlier today, after more than 18 years as a full-time employee, I gave notice that I am leaving The Times Leader to accept a position with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of The Bridge and Catholic Social Services. The position is Development Coordinator. Most of my work will be with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program and will involve marketing, event-planning and fundraising. I will remain at the newspaper until Nov. 18 and will begin my new position on Nov. 21. Coincidently, I worked with Big Brothers/Big Sisters earlier this year with "Concert For A Cause 9," and while I always had a great appreciation and respect for the work that they do, that increased even more when I learned more about the program through CFC. Apparently, they also liked me, and when this position recently became available and I expressed an interest, things moved rather quickly. I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life, working with some fine people, and through that work, helping make a difference in people's lives.

The Times Leader and The Weekender have been my home away from home for most of my adult life. I love the newspaper business and the people that work in it and I am proud to have been called a journalist for the past 19 years. I started off as a correspondent in 1992, was hired as an editorial assistant in 1993 and was promoted to the features department in 1995. In 1994, I was given my own weekly column, "Music On The Menu," which I have written for 17 years. In 2000, I was named Music Editor of the features department, and from 2005-2007, I served as editor of The Weekender. Amid all of that, I also covered news, wrote community news features and sports features, wrote editorials, worked on the copy desk and helped launch "Concert For A Cause" and the "Weekender/Mountaingrown Original Music Series." And for five years, I ran the Newspapers In Education program, which is very dear to me and is a program that I believe in very much.

I am proud of all of this work and appreciate the opportunities the paper has given me. In turn, I was happy to have been able to help the paper win awards in both journalism and circulation, and newspaper readers in Northeastern Pennsylvania voted me their favorite writer several times. My former boss, Joe Butkiewicz, always told us, "It's always about the readers," and I am very grateful to them for allowing me to be a little part of their lives for so many years.

And again, I want to thank The Times Leader. Just last year, we launched a new weekly feature, "MEET," which I have thoroughly enjoyed. And I was very flattered to be asked to be a member of this year's Endorsement Board for the upcoming election. I learned something new from every position I held. And the combination of writing, marketing, fundraising, community relations and event-planning skills that I acquired has allowed me to broaden by horizons, and, in essence, present me with this new opportunity.

Some of the years I spent in the newsroom covering music will stay with me for the rest of my life, as it was probably the most exciting time we've ever had for live music in this region. The new arena was built. The new Montage amphitheater was built. Nightclubs all over NEPA were packed four or five nights a week with people going out to see local bands, some of which went on to have national success. For a while, the local music scene was so vibrant that, in 1994, we launched The Times Leader's "Sound Choice" readers' poll, which our readers loved, and I sometimes felt as if - through my work - I was in the center of it all ... writing about the music, celebrating it and trying to promote it. And amid all of that, I was fortunate enough to interview some of my favorite musicians of all-time, from Eddie Van Halen to Steven Tyler to Billy Joel. But what I loved the most about that time - by far - was the friendships that I made, many of which will stay with me for the rest of my life. There are people out there that play in local bands and that have owned local clubs that are like family to me. And that means more to me than you can possibly imagine.

Many of the people that I have worked with at The Times Leader and The Weekender have also been very important to me. I worked for four different publishers and I liked them all. I worked for several editors, and people such as Mary Therese Biebel, Paul Gallagher, Chris Ritchie and Joe Butkiewicz had an incredibly positive impact on my life. Joe B. served as my supervisior on two different occasions, and you will not find a more decent man in the newspaper business or a better mentor. While running the NIE program, I worked in the circulation department and also became close with its staff. And our supervisor, Dick DeHaven, is among the greatest bosses I've ever had. Another wise, fair and decent man. There are too many co-workers to mention here by name that I am so fond of. Some have also moved on. Some are still at the paper. They know who they are. And I hope to tell them all how I feel about them over the next few weeks.

These are the things I am thinking about today. I am thinking about the exciting new work I will be doing with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and as anyone would do, I am thinking back on all of the wonderful opportunities I was given at The Times Leader. I literallly grew up there. I got my first apartment while working there, later bought my first home, and for the past five years, I have supported my family because of my work there. It was a good job and a nice place to work. I leave on great terms and I hope to continue to do some freelance writing for both papers. Once you have written for a newspaper, it's in your blood. I will also continue to host my Sunday night radio show, "Music On The Menu Live," on The Mountain, will host the monthly "Mountaingrown Original Music Series," and will occasionally blog about music. My love for the original music being created in NEPA is as strong as ever and I will continue to support it.

Now, as I move on to a new chapter in my life, I again want to thank my readers and I again want to thank The Times Leader and The Weekender. I will remain a loyal subscriber and reader. And I must thank Big Brothers/Big Sisters for this exciting new position. The work they do is both important and inspiring, and I am very proud to be a part of their team.

Trust me: you'll still be seeing me around.

Alan

(P.S. Some of my friends might be interested in the little slideshow linked below with some photos of the good times I've had at The Times Leader and The Weekender. And of course, it's set to music. What a great ride. THANK YOU.)

Ace unmasks in Scranton

Ace Frehley performs in Scranton, Pa. March 3, 1985
(That's my hand in the photo)

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

March 3, 2010

A great rock concert can stand out in your mind for various reasons. I've been to quite a few of them, and though some were utterly forgettable, some are still burned deep in the heart. Seeing Paul McCartney live can actually leave you awestruck, and artists like U2 and Bruce Springsteen seem to take you to another place during their live shows. In some ways, it's almost spiritual.


I love those artists. Always have. And it's no secret to some of our readers that I'm also a pretty big KISS fan. I've seen them about 30 times in concert and can honestly say that when it comes to live bands, they remain among the best. Ace Frehley, the group's original guitarist, is also still an all-time favorite. And it was exactly 25 years ago this week that Frehley gave one of the most memorable shows I've ever seen. And it was right here in Northeast Pennsylvania — in Scranton — at the old West Side Theater.


I was 17 years old and it was the spring of my senior year in high school. Myself and a group of good friends all loved Ace, but since he had left KISS a few years prior — right around the time we were finally old enough to start going to their shows — we'd never seen him play live. I can still remember the day the show was announced, and how we were all calling one another and were absolutely over-the-top excited. Within minutes, we were all running off to our little part-time high school jobs, making sure we put in for the night off from work. I called one friend who lived quite a few miles away and said I was on my way over to pick him up. He still jokes to this day that right after I called, he threw on Frehley's 1978 solo album, and before he'd heard even one song, I was already out in front of his house laying on the horn.


Did I mention we were excited?


A few weeks later, it was time for the big show. March 3, 1985. The concert venue was about a 30 minute ride from my house. We left about 12 hours early. There were so many of us that we had to take two cars. Even though Ace wasn't going to come on until around 9 p.m., we were there by late morning. Of course, we spent most of the day on a zany quest trying to meet him. After learning that he was still nowhere near the venue, we decided to scope out a few nearby hotels, and though we did eventually find the right one and had a pretty close encounter with the great guitarist, we had no luck in our attempt to hang out with the Spaceman.

And that, in retrospect, is OK. The hunt to find Ace was a lot of fun in itself, and since that time, I've been fortunate enough to have met him and interviewed him several times. But that first attempt back in '85, when we were still just kids, was something we all still laugh about. In fact some of us, 25 years later, still meet for lunch every year on March 3 to reminiscence and celebrate our love for Ace. At one point, we walked into a hotel lobby with Frehley's solo album and asked a woman at the desk, "Have you seen this man?" She smiled at the album cover — a painting of Frehley in his full KISS makeup — and said, "No, but I wish I had."

And THAT was another thing that made this particular concert so memorable. That type of picture — Ace in his KISS makeup — was all we had to go by. What some younger KISS fans might not even realize is that for a full decade, from 1973-1983, no one knew what the band members looked like. It was a huge part of their persona that offered a unique element to their mystique. Finally, in '83, when they felt that aspect of their career had run its course, they unmasked for the album "Lick It Up" and continued to enjoy great commercial success. Frehley, however, had left the band in '82. And though he was on tour in the spring of '85, he had not yet released a post-KISS solo album.



Ace had not yet "unmasked."

We were all going to see a show by one of our all-time favorite musicians, yet we had NO IDEA WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE.


Thinking back on it, it's pretty wild, and I can honestly say that Ace Frehley's 1985 mini-tour of the East Coast was one of the most unusual rock tours of all-time. I can't think of any other tour, ever, where you knew that when the artist walked on the stage, you were literally going to see what they looked like for the first time. It was incredibly cool, and since he was already a superstar, and since we had already loved his music so much for so many years, it only added to the fun.


Of course, Ace came out and totally rocked. For us, it was pretty much the same as it was with KISS a few years earlier, when we saw them sans makeup for the first time. We were never fans because of the makeup and costumes. Sure, maybe it helped get our attention when we were kids, but we stayed fans because we liked the songs. We loved the music. Again though, most KISS fans had seen the band unmask live on MTV in '83. Or they'd seen their photo on the "Lick It Up" album cover, or they'd seen them in music videos. By the time their tours for "Lick It Up" and later "Animalize" came around, you at least knew how they appeared in person.


Not so with Ace.


Frehley played lots of great songs that night, some old and some new. And he continued to come back to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area from time to time. He played the old Autographs nightclub in Old Forge in '87, and both The Woodlands and Tink's in '95. They're all part of KISSTORY here in NEPA. A history that includes KISS shows at The Paramount Theater (now The Kirby) in 1974 and King's College in 1975, Paul Stanley's solo show at Market Street Square in '89, Peter Criss' show at Market Street in '92 and The Woodlands in '94, and KISS' more recent stops at Montage in 2000 (with Ace back in the band) and 2004, 2010, 2012 and 2014.


Except for those first few shows in '74 and '75, I was at all of them. And though I loved them all, there will always be something very special about March 3, 1985 — the day my friends and I saw Ace Frehley for the first time, both figuratively, and literally. It was a day that, when you really think about it, helped reinforce what what KISS had first proved in 1983. Despite their larger-than-life persona, lavish stage shows and now iconic makeup and costumes, it's really the music and nothing but the music that matters most.


Ace proved it, once again, in Scranton.


And his fans proved it simply by being there.



(Alan K. Stout has covered rock and pop music in NEPA since 1992. His weekly radio show, “Music On The Menu,” airs every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River.) 

ALAN'S PRESS BIO: https://musiconthemenu.blogspot.com/2018/06/alan-k_13.html

'King of Pop' dies

Locals recall Michael Jackson

By ALAN K. STOUT

TIMES LEADER STAFF WRITER
June 26, 2009

WILKES-BARRE – On the day of Michael Jackson’s death, three local residents recalled their personal experiences with the self-proclaimed “King of Pop.” One knew Jackson as a young teen, in 1973, when he was still enjoying his early pop success. Another knew him at the absolute height of his commercial appeal, in 1984, just after the stunning success of “Thriller.” And the third covered his infamous trial during which he was accused of child molestation and from which his career never fully recovered.

Joe Middleton of Pittston worked for the Jackson 5 during the group’s 1973 tour. Middleton assisted with the merchandising on the tour and said he spent a lot of time around the young pop sensation. He recalled Jackson with both fondness and sadness on Thursday.

“The kid was a prankster,” said Middleton. “He was great. He was fun to be with. You could tell he had talent, but he didn’t have a normal childhood. Michael had no life. That’s why the kid was screwed up. He never left his father’s side. He was the cash cow. Nothing could happen to Michael. Without Michael, there was no Jackson 5.”

Middleton said he wasn’t surprised to hear stories, years later, about the negative impact that Jackson’s father, Joe, might have had on his son’s psyche.

 “The father was a very stern taskmaster,” he said. “The other boys would have some time to have fun, but Michael was under the father’s thumb all the time.”

Jim Evans, president of the Wilkes-Barre-based Mountain Productions, worked with Jackson in 1984 when the company was hired by the reunited Jacksons to design and build the stage for the group’s “Victory” tour. The tour came at the height at Jackson’s popularity and was one of his first musical endeavors following the release of “Thriller.”

“He was very professional and knew exactly what he wanted,” recalled Evans, adding that Jackson had a great sense for theatrics and for what worked well in the world of entertainment. Evans said that when the company was hired to build the “Victory” stage, he traveled to California to meet with Jackson and the tour’s production manager. The meeting was arranged by promoter Don King, known best for his work in the world of professional boxing.

“We sat down at his mother’s kitchen, and she made us ham and cheese sandwiches,” said Evans, of Mountain Top. “We drew doodles (of ideas for the stage) on napkins. I wish I still had some of those napkins … but at the time, who knew?”

After the stage was completed, Evans saw several of the tour’s 55 shows. He says Jackson was very pleased with the massive, stadium-sized staging, which took about a dozen semi-trucks to transport from concert to concert.

“They were all sellouts,” he said. “He was quite the draw. There was no doubt about it.”

Steve Corbett, a former longtime newspaper columnist at The Times Leader and current talk show host at WILK radio, wrote about two of Michael Jackson’s trials while working for a newspaper in Santa Maria County, Calif. In 2005, Corbett covered the trial during which Jackson was accused of child molestation. Two years prior, he also covered a civil trial in which Jackson was being sued by a concert promoter for allegedly backing out on an agreement to perform several shows. At that trial, Jackson himself took the stand to testify.

 “That’s where the photographs were taken, during his testimony, of him putting his fingers up to his head like devil horns, and like a rabbit,” said Corbett. “He was acting very, very strange, even for Michael Jackson. He was making contact with people in the audience with hand signals and really, really looked like he was having some difficulties. He was inappropriate. His behavior was wrong.”

At the 2005 trial, Corbett says that he – like many others – began to view Jackson with some sympathy, but only to a certain extent. “He was a tragic figure,” said Corbett. “You could see it. You could sense it. But I also watched testimony from not only the little boy who accused Michael Jackson of molesting him, but also the mother of the other little boy – where there was a settlement – and she would raise the hair on the back of your neck. When you would listen to how Michael Jackson made these friends with these children, it was very, very scary.”

Corbett said that during the five-month 2005 trial, he began to get a sense of Jackson’s inner demons.

“You got to see how Michael Jackson was a child himself,” he said. “He had not developed, even though he was a master and perhaps a brilliant genius. His childhood was far from one to be envied, and he was a clearly tragic figure, but he was a dangerous person as well. I listened to all of the testimony and all of the witnesses, and I absolutely believed that Michael Jackson was guilty.”

Jackson was acquitted on all charges. Corbett’s reaction to his death was diplomatic.

“I learned a lot from Michael Jackson, and I’m sorry that he’s gone, and I’m sorry that his life turned into such a tortured existence,” he said. “And I’m also sorry that I believe he turned the lives of unknown children into tortured existences as well.”

(This story was originally published on page 1 of The Times Leader on June 26, 2009.)

Five Stars for The Starchild

‘Live To Win’ features Paul Stanley at his best

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

October 18, 2006

With "Live To Win," Paul Stanley's first solo album since 1978, the legendary "Starchild" of KISS has not only delivered a terrific hard-rock record, but has also dropped a batch of fiery and incredibly melodic songs that will remind even the most disillusioned of KISS fans why they fell in love with the band in the first place.

For plenty of the KISS faithful, it's never been about the make-up or the huge stage shows. The love for the band came from the music, and Stanley, more often than not, was the one dishing out some of KISS' best songs. With "Live To Win," Stanley - minus Gene Simmons and the rest of the "Hottest Band In The World" - is not only in top form, but has clearly released the best KISS-related item of any kind in more than a decade. It is a tremendous rock album.

The record kicks off with the explosive title track and then slams into the fresh and modern, yet also somewhat grand and trippy, "Lift." And it only gets better from there.

"Wake Up Sreaming" is loaded with infections hooks and clever instrumentation, and despite its aggressive title, it's really a song about loss and comes with some heavy sentiment. "Every Time I See You Around" - perhaps the best track on the album - is also insanely melodic, perfectly arranged, and is one the most passionate and visual tunes Stanley has ever penned.

Stanley, who often writes with a great sense of bravado, steps into those shoes again with the gritty and soulful "Bulletproof," which is also one of the few songs on the LP that sounds as if could have come from the KISS catalogue, particularly the late '80s "Hot In The Shade" era of the band. The stomping and soaring "All About You" is one of the album's purest rockers, though it too is anchored by a fine mix of punch and melody and also gets some extra pizzazz from Stanley's proficient knob-twirling. Same goes for the dismissive "It's Not Me" and the uplifting "Where Angels Dare," which are also, like the rest of the album, bolstered by his strong vocals and the beefy production.

What's most interesting about the CD, besides Stanley's ability to craft a completely modern-sounding album that also stays true to his roots, is how he apparently has also remained so true to himself. The beautiful "Second To None" is clearly an ode to his second wife, with whom he recently had his second child, and yet some tracks, such as "Every Time I See You Around" and the beautiful "Loving You Without You" sound as if they were written during his divorce. Whatever the case, he's put it all on the table and into the songs, and it's all a part of the reason he's delivered such a memorable album.

Perhaps the fact that "Live To Win" is loaded with so many highlights shouldn't come as surprise. When all four members of KISS surprised the rock world in 1978 at the height of their career and released solo albums on the same day, Stanley's was the best. And when it comes to combining thoughtful lyrics with a hard-rock kick, all you have to do is play KISS gems such as "Hard Luck Woman," "Sure Know Somethin' " "Reason to Live," "Forever," and "I Still Love You" to hear what he's capable of. The man, whether writing alone or working with collaborators - as he did on many of these new tracks - is still a monster songwriter, and thus it should also come as no surprise that the guy who has often served as the heart of KISS, especially during the non-makeup '80s era of the band, might be the one to put music back into the heart of KISS fans.

Despite having written about pop and rock music for the past 14 years, I wasn't sure if I was going to write about this album. I didn't know if someone like me, who is such a big fan of Stanley that I have a Paul Stanley-style rose tattoo on my right arm, should be reviewing his new record. But after just a few listens, I knew I had to.

I had to do it for all of the fans tired of the bombardment of KISS merchandising, without any new music, and tired of changing band members. I had to do it for the fans who don't like Simmons' goofy TV shows (I like them, by the way), and for the fans that feel that, despite the band's excellent reunion tour with its original members a decade ago, and its subsequent quality tours with other members, it has also seemingly lost its way and its sense of focus.

I had to tell them that Paul Stanley, with some of his best work ever, has brought it all back home, and that with "Live To Win," he has single-handedly reminded at least one fan why he ever became one.

Five stars for the Starchild. *****

 We All Shine On

John Lennon's life and music still inspire

Tribute show set for Thursday at River Street Jazz Cafe

By ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
December 7, 2005

“I still believe in love, peace ... I still believe in positive thinking. While there's life, there's hope. I always considered my work one piece, and I consider that my work won't be finished until I'm dead and buried, and I hope that's a long, long time." - John Lennon, 1980

It's bitterly ironic that a man who dedicated much of his life to peace was taken by a horrible act of violence, but that’s exactly what happened on Dec. 8, 1980, when John Lennon, considered by some to be the heart and soul of The Beatles, was murdered in New York City.

It happened, also ironically, in the town that Lennon loved the most. It was where the transplanted Englishman lived his final years, and it is where he died on that unseasonably warm December night. He was shot dead in front of his own home and in front of his own wife.

Tragically, after a five-year hiatus, the former Beatle had just recently returned to music and was greatly looking forward to new beginnings. He had just learned, on the day he was murdered, that his new album, "Double Fantasy," had been certified gold. His single at the time, "Starting Over,” a terrific pop song, exemplified exactly how he felt about everything that was happening in his life. It was to be the first of many new songs that we would hear from John Lennon in the ensuing years.

But that all ended on the corner of Central Park West and 72nd Street on that awful night, when a man that described himself as a fan - a man who Lennon had actually signed an autograph for just a few hours earlier - ended his life and robbed us of one of the most beloved musicians and songwriters of our time.

It did not, however, silence his music.

John Lennon shines on, and so do his musical disciples. And on Thursday, an all-star collection of area musicians will gather at The River Street Jazz Cafe for “We All Shine On: A Tribute To John Lennon.” The show, which will also be broadcast live on 102.3-FM, The Mountain, is being presented not so much to note the 25th anniversary of the night John Lennon left us, but rather to celebrate his life and the music that he left us.

And it is an incredible collection of music. 

The music on John Lennon shines on

Though I was only 13 years old when John Lennon was killed and only three years old when The Beatles disbanded, that's never stopped me from giving an instant answer when anyone asks me who I believe is the best rock group of all-time.

Clearly, it's The Beatles.

By the time I was in college in the late '80s, I was already a huge Beatles and Lennon fan, and, in 1988, when I went to see the marvelous Lennon documentary "Imagine" in the theater, I was stunned by one particular video clip of him being interviewed in the early '70s, and his response to a question about the possibility of a Beatles reunion.

“If it happens, I'll enjoy it,” he said. "I go on instinct. If the idea hit me tomorrow, I might call them and say ‘Let's do something.' If it happens, it will happen. My memories are now all fond and the wounds are healed. If we do it, we do it. If we record, we record. I don't know - as long as we make music.”

Considering how bitter the Beatles' breakup had been, and having seen the tension documented in the "Let It Be" film, this comment shocked me, saddened me and angered me. If it had not been for that deranged, crazy fan on that awful December night - who I won't even dignify by printing his name in this paper - I think many of us that never got the chance to do so may have actually seen The Beatles. Maybe at Live Aid? Maybe with Amnesty International? Maybe at a big, corporate-sponsored $200 dollar-a-ticket reunion tour. Whatever the case, I truly believe it would have happened. I've seen Paul McCartney in concert a few times, and it is an amazing experience, and I also love John Lennon’s solo material, but to have seen The Fab Four together on stage? I can't even imagine how unbelievable that would be.

Still, the real and greatest loss from Lennon's death goes so much deeper than just erasing the possibility of having a great band play together once again. Yes, Lennon was a flawed man, like all of us, but a woman that he loved very deeply lost her husband. Two sons lost a father, and a generation lost one of its heroes.

The world lost a champion of peace.

Strawberry Fields, NYC

I spent some time in New York City last weekend, and I thought about all of these things, as well as how much The Beatles music and John Lennon's music has meant to me. I walked by the Dakota apartments, where he lived and died, and I visited Strawberry Fields, the small area in Central Park that honors his memory. And though I again felt the sadness and again felt the anger, I was at least comforted by the fact that the 25th anniversary of his passing is not going unnoticed. It was the front page headline on several New York newspapers on Sunday, there were flowers placed at Strawberry Fields, where a vigil is planned for Thursday night, and several New York radio stations are planning 24-hour musical tributes. I was also comforted by the fact that locally, plans have been in the works for three months to present Thursday’s "We All Shine On: A Tribute To John Lennon."

Jim Rising of The Mountain recently told me that the day John Lennon was killed was the worst day of his career in radio, and that he broke down and wept. Millions of others have similar stories, and for Thursday’s tribute, local musicians will share their stories and sing Lennon’s songs. Every artist on the bill has chosen three Lennon compositions to perform - either from The Beatles or from his solo catalog - and every artist on the bill has said they are happy and honored to be a part of the show. They were also glad to tell us how John Lennon's music has affected their lives and how his influence has, in some ways, helped their own music shine on.

Eddie Appnel, formerly of Mere Mortals, who will perform with Pat Flynn.

"My earliest recollection of the Beatles is when I was around 10 years old. My mother had given me a copy of 'Meet The Beatles’ and I haven't been the same since. I picked up a dusty old Stella guitar out of the closet and set out to learn the riff to ‘It Won't Be Long.’ There was definitely something infectious about their energy, melodies and harmonies that I still haven't gotten tired of exploring. That was over 30 years ago. Once I found out about all of the rest of their songs, it was like finding gold. The entire world got to watch them grow up lyrically, musically and personally. I never even realized until much later that all of it happened within a span of about six years. I decided that if I couldn't actually be a Beatle, then I would give it my best shot to try to write and sing songs that would affect people the same way I had been affected. I'm still trying."

Appnel also has a vivid recollection of Dec. 8, 1980

"I remember watching 'Monday Night Football’ with my father. I had fallen asleep during the game when my dad woke me up. He was shaking my leg, saying, ‘Lennon's dead - someone shot him.' I know he was just as shocked ... it sounded so cold and final to me. I didn't go back to sleep that night. I have a lithograph of Lennon in a sleeveless New York City t-shirt hanging on the wall above my digital recording machine. It's all the inspiration I've ever needed.”

The Times Leader, December 9, 1980

John "Fud" Zavacki, formerly of Mighty Fine Wine, who will perform with Mark Sutorka

"The Beatles music has influenced how I listen to music. I tend to listen to different parts of everything I hear each new time I hear it. Maybe the bass-line for the first run, then the backing vocals the next. I notice when things are not formulaic ... small changes in each new verse or chorus, or the addition of a new layer of sound for each verse or chorus. Most of this was due to John Lennon's love of the bizarre and his fearless experimentation. It's one of the amazing things that the Beatles have taught every generation of songwriters since they hit our shores.

"The night John Lennon was murdered, I have a very vivid memory. I was in the apartment my mom and I lived at in Carbondale. I was 12, and my Beatles fixation was in full swing, and my mom - in addition to having turned me on to the Beatles - also let me play her LPs limitlessly. So, I'm on the floor with the headphones blaring, listening to ‘Let It Be,’ and my mom taps me on the shoulder. I pull off the cans, and she points at the TV, and says ‘I think you should see this.’

A young John Lennon

"My mom let me take the whole next week off from school. She knew exactly how I felt. She felt the same way. It was the first time in my life that I realized how powerful music could be to the world. I watched everyone gather at the Dakota, and it just blew me away. That's when I decided that I was really going to knuckle under and learn to play the right way. I wanted to be able to make people feel. I have John Lennon and the Beatles to thank for everything I've ever experienced being a musician.”

 Mike Krakosky of Plus 3, who will perform with Mike   Evans

 "I'd have to credit my mom for turning me on to John   Lennon. I think the first time I was every exposed to his   music was when 'Double Fantasy' came out. My mom was a huge Beatles/Lennon fan and played that record all the time, and I remember always listening and singing  along and really, really liking it. I think I was 5 years old.  I remember her always telling me that someday, he was going to be regarded as a genius, and she was totally right.  Moms always are. Some of my favorite songs on there -  ‘Woman,’ ‘Starting Over’- they really turned me on to Lennon and are still to this day some of favorite songs of all-time.

"My next exposure after that was the ‘Blue’ and 'Red' albums of the Beatles. Absolutely amazing songs. When I write songs now, I always find myself trying to use Lennon as an influence. Keep it simple, but make it universal. That's a very tough thing to do. And he did it with ease, in everything he wrote."

k8, who will perform with Pat Flynn

"The Beatles were innovators - a group way ahead of their time. At a time when bands still depended on professional songwriters for their songs and studio bands for recording, The Beatles combined all of those to become the first real rock band in the sense that we know rock bands today.

"I was too young to know what was going on the night John Lennon died, but I was 12 or 13 when I first officially discovered The Beatles. I found some old sheet music of my father's in my grandmother's piano bench. It was The Beatles, and I spent countless hours learning to play some of those songs. I didn't realize it then, but in retrospect, I can see that exposure to their song structuring, catchy choruses and harmonies directly influenced my own songwriting. And though I thought I found John Lennon through The Beatles, I also really discovered him while working on this tribute project.”

Don Shappelle, who will perform solo

"For me, like so manly of my generation, it all began on that night in February 1964 when the Beatles performed on the 'Ed Sullivan Show.’ I was 8 years old and glued to the black and white TV set. I knew right then that my life's course was set in motion. I was going to be a guitar player. To this day I remember that magical feeling that the Beatles’ music put into my soul. Almost 42 years later, it remains. John's songs ... they seemed to say what I was feeling at times in my life. They told of heartache, of love, of pain and of joy and hope. His songs made me first want to write my own songs and tell of my own feelings through music. John Lennon made me realize that I could express myself with words and a guitar. I have been trying ever since."

John and Yoko outside The Dakota 

Shappelle says the events of Dec. 8, 1980 still put a sting in his heart.

"I was in New York City, having moved there after living in Paris for a time. I had just turned 25 that October, the same month John Lennon turned 40. That evening ... I left my apartment to go for a walk and clear my head. I headed uptown toward Central Park, within blocks of the Dakota. Eventually I went home, and when I walked in the door, I knew something bad had happened from the look on my girlfriend's face. She stared right at me and said ‘John Lennon has been murdered.’ I sat down in shock. All I remember is the sounds of the city outside. I sat all night in that New York darkness. A quarter century, and half my lifetime later, that tragic day still strikes a cold dagger into my soul."

Terry Cummings, formerly of Strawberry Jam, now with Mother Nature's Sons, who will perform with John Shemo and John Ferrato

"I actually remember tugging on my mom’s dress and sayinig ‘Beatles’ to her. It was one my first words and earliest memories. I wanted to be Ringo, and started playing drums and taking lessons at a very early age. The Beatles are responsible for me becoming a musician. My father, Phil Cummings, was a radio newsman, and he would bring home Beatles records from the radio station stamped ‘promotional copy only, not for sale.’ I remember the irony of seeing that stamped on the 'Beatles for Sale’ album. I had fresh copies before they were even in the stores, and I would play them until they were ruined. To this day, John Lennon remains my favorite artist. I remember coming home from my part time night job in high school and seeing Tom Snyder on the 'Tomorrow Show' announcing his death. It was some thing I wish I'd never heard."

George Wesley, who will perform solo

"John Lennon and The Beatles represented the ability to take every kind of music and present it in a form that was embraced by nearly every one. John wasn't afraid to say what he wanted at any cost. Fame meant an opportunity to promote things like peace and love. That definitely influenced my own campaign to promote peace, love and unity.

"When he was killed, I actually found out the morning after, and I was horrified. I'd been working in a music store and everyone was talking about his new music and his new lifestyle. I found him to be even more inspirational when he talked about his love for reggae, and how it would be big ... so to find out a 'fan’ killed him ... I just had to do something ... so I cut my long hair to signify the dream was over. And I haven't cut it since, and I will never let that dream of peace, love and unity die. We are all part of the struggle, but we are the solution. Imagine!"

Bret Alexander of The Badlees, who will perform solo

"There is no question that I wouldn't be a musician or songwriter if I hadn't found John Lennon. My first two records were Beatles albums. In my house, John Lennon and Johnny Cash were like saints. I listened to their records with my grandmother during the day and my friends at night. Whenever I record or write, I always reference something that John Lennon did. Always. It's not a conscious thing. His music is like a second language to me. Whenever I am looking to express myself, there is English, John Lennon, The Beatles, and Johnny Cash. I swear to God ... I had a dream that he had died the night before he was killed. I remember being at my aunt's house the next day looking at the TV. She was crying, and I was trying to decide whether I was awake, or still dreaming.”

Smith, formerly of Bent Blue, who will perform solo

"John Lennon's music has always meant ‘freedom’ to me. Pure artistry. He and The Beatles broke down all musical barriers and became their own genre. How do you categorize John Lennon's music? You don't. He's just John Lennon. He was a master at making simplicity profound, and also making complexity seem simple by his incredible sense of melody. His melodies made me stand up and realize the importance of being alive. In 2005, it's almost impossible to accomplish what he achieved, due to the cookie-cutter formula of the music industry, so you have to look back and praise him for his vision and brilliance. It's impossible for any songwriter to not be influenced to some extent. His lyrics and his music will reverberate throughout time."

WHAT: We All Shine On: A Tribute To John Lennon
WHERE: River Street Jazz Cafe, 667 N. River St, Plains Township
WHEN: Thursday, Dec. 8. at 9 p.m.
WHO'S PLAYING: Bret Alexander of The Badlees, Mike Krakosky and Mike Evans of Plus 3, Smith of Bent Blue, Eddie Appnel with Pat Flynn of Bent Blue and Mere Mortals, Don Shappelle, k8, John "Fud" Zavacki of Mighty Fine Wine with Mark Sutkora, George Wesley and Terry Cummings of Strawberry Jam with John Shemo and John Ferrato. Plus a performance by Rubber Soul.
RADIO BROADCAST: The show will be carried live on 102.3-FM, The Mountain, from 9-11 p.m.
BENEFICIARY: John Lennon Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to aspiring young songwriters.
INFO: 822-2992

(The entire live radio broadcast of "We All Shine On: A Tribute to John Lennon," which aired on December 8, 2005, can be found on YouTube.) 

U2 in Philly: uplifting and inspiring

BAND OF BANDS EVEN BETTER WITH AGE

By ALAN K. STOUT

Times Leader Staff Writer

May 20, 2005

PHILADELPHIA - They are still the best band in the world. No one else is even close.

U2 earns that honor simply because it remains such a remarkably important musical force and continues to carry so much artistic credibility.

 

Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen are now members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They have been a band for 25 years and have amassed an incredible catalogue of work. But when they came to the Wachovia Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, it was the new songs along with the old ones that lifted spirits and drew some of the night's biggest cheers from the crowd. That, perhaps more than anything, is what makes the group so special.

The legendary Irish unit opened its show with the new “City Of Blinding Lights,” a gorgeous track from its latest CD, “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb,” and followed with the new “Vertigo,” a vibrant and pounding number seemingly penned with sold-out arenas in mind.

Two terrific new songs, right out of the gate, and the crowd of 20,000 sang along to every word.

   

Amazing.

The band also dipped into its earliest years, offering “An Cat Dubh,” “Into The Heart” and “The Electric Co.” from 1980's “Boy” and an impassioned rendition of “Sunday Bloody Sunday” from 1983's “War.” The group also offered a moving and inspiring performance of “Pride,” from 1984's “The Unforgettable Fire.”

But again, every jewel from the past matched a jewel from the present. U2, whose members are now middle-age millionaires, easily could lean toward nostalgia when planning a tour, but, as in 2001, they have again hit the road with stunning new material. “Elevation” and “Beautiful Day,” from 2000's “All That You Can't Leave Behind,” were among the show's highlights, as were “Miracle Drug” and “Love and Peace or Else” from the new CD. And the gorgeous “Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own,” also from the new album, which Bono dedicated to his late father, provided one of the night's most memorable moments.

Bono dedicated “Running To Stand Still,” from 1987's “The Joshua Tree,” to the men and women of the American military, and the crowd went wild when the band visited the milestone album again with performances of “Bullet The Blue Sky” and “Where The Streets Have No Name.” They also visited 1991's “Achtung Baby” with performances of “Zoo Station,” “The Fly,” “Mysterious Ways” and a sturdy rendition of “One.”

  

U2's staging was dazzling, complete with an illuminated oval catwalk that stretched almost halfway across the arena. Sparkling lighting framed the show beautifully, and Bono was in full command as a frontman, frequently prowling and strutting about. At one point, he pulled two young children from the crowd and gently walked with them, hand in hand, around the curve of the stage. The gentle gesture, of course, was met with another roaring ovation.

   

Politics? You bet.

   

Bono, without preaching, can still inspire, and his concerns for basic human civil rights and global hunger are unchanged. Though his fan base has grown older and may have reached an age when it realizes it might not be able to change the world, his words, spoken with a sincere combination of passion and humility, might still inspire it at least to try.

   

U2 brought all of this to Philadelphia on Saturday -- music, wisdom, kindness, spirituality and energy. It anchored its show with seven knockout songs from its new album and closed with “40,” an older number, written when its members were much younger men, that also challenges its listeners to try to make the world a better place.

   

Still the best. No one else even comes close.

(This story was originally published in The Times Leader on May 20, 2005.)