KISS and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

 

 

 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

February 26, 2014

 

As I sit and write this, I am listening to KISS’ “Double Platinum” album. It’s a compilation record, released in 1978, that features some of the best tracks from KISS’ first six studio albums. It’s one of the best hard-rock records of the ‘70s, and really, one of the best hard-rock records of all-time. And its songs, more than anything, are why KISS will be taking its rightful place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next month.

KISS, whose members were schooled on The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin, have written great songs. They have groove. They have energy. They have swagger. And quite a few of them, such as the ferocious “Deuce” and the grand “Shout It Out Loud,” kick some major ass.

 

Looking for something a little more sentimental? KISS also gave you “Beth” and “Hard Luck Woman.” Though they were hard-rock pioneers that came along only a few short years after Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, KISS has always had a fine sense of melody.

Those songs captured a generation, and when you combined it with the band’s explosive, innovative stage shows and larger-than-life image, it made KISS the most popular band in the world and clearly, as the years passed, one of the most influential. They were Alice Cooper on steroids. They were capable musicians, good songwriters and grand showmen, and again, they had the tunes. I remember watching an interview with Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue many years ago and he was asked about KISS’ influence of Motley’s stageshows, and while he certainly acknowledged that, he made it clear that it was the band’s music he loved the most.

 “KISS,” he said, “have great songs.”  

The fact that KISS has been eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 15 years and are just getting in now is absurd. And if you’re wondering why it took so long, it’s no great mystery. Some of the people that have a lot of the influence on the voting have not wanted them there. Dave Marsh, a respected music journalist who is believed to have a heavy hand in the voting process, once said that "KISS is not a great band, KISS was never a great band, KISS never will be a great band, and I have done my share to keep them off the ballot."

There are things about Dave Marsh that I greatly admire, particularly his appreciation for ‘70s era Elvis Presley. He has written about it in his books and has even written the liner notes for some of the better compilations of Presley’s ‘70s material, and when it comes to studying The King, he is dead on. And he certainly knows his Springsteen. But when it comes to studying KISS, he is absolutely dead wrong.

KISS is a great band. KISS was always a great band. And KISS will always be a great band.

My opinion – and yours - is just as good as Marsh’s, who by the way, has trashed quite a few other noteworthy artists over the years. And that’s why the very idea of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is somewhat asinine. If I recall, Ray Davies of The Kinks pretty much said the same thing many years ago, though not because of the politics of the voting, but rather the sheer stuffiness of it all. Initially, I agreed. I wasn’t so hot on the concept, and over the years, as they put in some artists that I never cared for, I took it less and less seriously, though I can also admit that when I did see a wonderful group being nicely recognized, I was happy for them. It was an odd combination of apathy and interest.

 

In 2007, on a trip to Cleveland, I decided to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. At that point, KISS had been eligible for about eight years, and though that bothered me, it wasn’t enough to keep me from going in and checking out The Beatles’ “Sgt. Peppers” outfits. I figured KISS would get in soon enough, and I while there, I was able to see the hypocrisy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as I noticed they were selling some KISS items in the gift shop. It appeared KISS was good enough for them to make a few bucks off of, but not good enough for enshrinement.  I rolled my eyes, looked at a few of Elvis’s jumpsuits, and left.

I returned to Cleveland two years ago. At that point, KISS had been eligible for the Hall of Fame for more than 12 years and it was really starting to bug me. And that time, even though I walked right by place, I did not go in. In fact, I snapped the photo you see with this column and texted it to a few of my fellow KISS-loving friends. And when the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame allowed fans to vote for possible inductees last year and included KISS on the ballot – probably due to all of the public backlash from the band not being in – I refused to vote, as I felt it would be pandering to someone like Marsh, or Kurt Loder, who I also always got a sense from his MTV days was no KISS fan.

Again, to me, nobody's opinion about music is any better than mine, nor yours, and I imagine people like Marsh and Loder might even find it confusing that someone like me – who has seen KISS more than 30 times - also loves Elvis Presley and The Beatles, and has seen the critics’ darlings such as Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who and U2 in concert many times and loves them all. I’ve also seen Springsteen 10 times, and I’ve written about music, professionally, for 22 years. And I can certainly tell you that KISS is - if it really matters to you –  very worthy of the being in anyone's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Though the original members of KISS were gracious when they first learned that they finally were elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame late last year and that they will be officially enshrined next month, I was glad to see that they’re also not pandering to the institution.  Paul Stanley, a  gifted frontman, vocalist and songwriter, intially said he was glad the band was going in on its own terms, that it was an honor to be in the same company of some of his own musical heroes, and that he is happy for the fans, because he knows it’s important to them. In a recent interview, however, with the U.K.’s  “Classic Rock” magazine, he was much more curt. Asked if he finally felt honored, he said:

 

"No. It was done begrudgingly and because it had become absolutely ludicrous that they were choosing to ignore us. At the end of the day, most people don't realize that the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame was a privately created establishment and that it has a self-appointed board. It's a perfect case of perception becoming reality. People heard 'Rock And Roll Hall of Fame' and gave it credibility. Was it an honor to be nominated? No.”

Stanley - whose band has more gold records than any American rock group in history - wasn’t finished.

“It means a lot to the fans and I understand it because it's validation for them,” he said.  “So for that reason I accept graciously and accept on their behalf. My feelings and my ambivalence about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame hasn't changed any. Their attitude is elitist and it doesn't reflect the public. It reflects a small group who dictate who meets the criteria that they set up as 'rock and roll.' I scratch my head a little and I also take issue with a certain arrogance within that group ... Nonetheless, I look at some of the inductees and any club that has Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and The Who, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones is company I don't mind being in, and my feelings have nothing to do with any of them. It purely has to do with a system which I think is tainted, corrupted and distorted."

Good for him.

Remember, some of the higher-ups at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are also heavily involved with Rolling Stone magazine – the same magazine that, in 1991, failed to even mention the passing of KISS drummer Eric Carr, who had capably held the drum stool in the band for more than a decade and played on several gold and platinum albums. This led to a sharp letter-to-the-editor, signed by Stanley, Gene Simmons and guitarist Bruce Kulick. Clearly, there is a history with KISS and some of those writers and editors, and it’s not a good one.  

So why, with so much brooding hostility, has KISS finally been elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Who knows? Respected music critic Chuck Klosterman has been a big supporter of the band and may have had some influence. Spin magazine has been good to them. And radio/TV personality Eddie Trunk, the host of VH1 Classic’s “That Metal Show” - and who also has a friendship with original KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss - has been very outspoken on the absurdity of KISS’ omission from the Hall. Somehow, between all of the backlash, and perhaps with some new voices getting some votes, and with KISS winning that fan poll that I refused to vote in, KISS got in. And let’s face it, most of the bands and artists that the Rolling Stone-type writers love have made it clear that they have a great love for KISS, including the late Kurt Cobain, who ironically will be inducted in the same class. Members of hard-rock bands such as Motley Crue, Metallica and Guns ‘N Roses all love KISS. Grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden love KISS. A KISS tribute album featured everyone from Stevie Wonder to Garth Brooks and Lenny Kravitz. 

 

Who the hell needs Dave Marsh?

Ironically, I admit, I am happy that KISS is now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If I didn’t really care that KISS wasn’t in, I probably would have went back inside the last time I was in Cleveland, rather than flipping the place the bird. And it appears lots of KISS fans feel the same. And that’s why so many of them were so upset earlier this week when it was announced that while the original members of KISS plan to appear at the induction ceremonies, they will not perform together. Look, I’ve written more than 40 newspaper articles about KISS, some of which have run in newspapers across the country, so people have been asking me about this all week. And after thinking about it for a few days, my opinion is that I really don’t care. Maybe, I admit, it’s because I’ve always been a Paul and Gene guy. They are the glue. They are the ones that have held the band together for 40 years. And yet they are the ones being criticized for, supposedly, not agreeing to perform with original members Frehley and Criss.

I have no idea what the discussions were like between Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don’t know for sure what the Hall of Fame wanted, or what Gene and Paul wanted. It does appear, by their recent statements, that Ace and Peter were willing to play with Gene and Paul, but there is speculation that Gene and Paul wanted to honor the whole history of the band, including Frehley, Criss, Kulick and the late Carr, and perform with current members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, who have each now been with the group for more than a decade. (Singer was also a member from 1992-1995.)  Supposedly, the Hall of Fame wanted just the original four members, who are the ones being inducted, to perform. And supposedly, Gene and Paul nixed that. 

Confused? Don't be. It's not worth it.

Would it have been cool to see the original four play together one last time? Certainly. I’d have made the trip to Brooklyn to see that. Would it have been odd and just plain wrong to have the current KISS perform in makeup and costume, and have Frehley and Criss relegated to the role of sidemen during the performance? Certainly. Would it have been cool to see Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, Criss, Thayer, Singer and Kulick all perform together without makeup and costume and just kick some ass ? Certainly. But none of it is happening, and the more I think about it, the more I’m OK with it.

 (Two other KISS members, Vinne Vincent and the late Mark St. John, though both talented, had very short stints in the band and are generally not included in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame discussions.)

The original KISS was wonderful. It was magic. But by 1977, only three years after the band’s first album was released, things were beginning to crumble. There was already a lot of tension, and just a few years later, Peter and Ace were gone. But for a whole generation of fans, the ‘80s was still a golden era. I bought 1984’s “Animalize” the day it came out. I remember seeing 1987’s “Reason To Live” being the #1 video on MTV.  “Forever,” from 1989, was a Top-10 hit. “Hide Your Heart” is one of the best songs KISS ever recorded. From 1983-1995 - the non-makeup years - I saw KISS perform many times in packed arenas. Every CD went either gold or platinim. And, if you want to take a look at KISS’ recent history, you’ll also find some great stuff. Two tracks in particular from “Monster,” the band’s latest CD - “Freak” and “Last Chance” - are worthy additions to the KISS catalog. They are tremendous.  Apparently, Stanley and Simmons feel that these things should be a part of all of this. Apparently, the Hall of Fame does not. Criss and Frehley? They probably feel it’s all certainly worth a mention, but no more. It’s created a problem, and Stanley and Simmons, who have worked hard to rebrand the band with its new members over the past 10 years, may simply not want to go backwards, even if it’s just for 10 minutes and a couple of songs.

Again, we really don't know what went down. But what we do know is that KISS is not the first band to not do summersaults and backflips for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock stars, generally speaking, don’t genuflect for anyone. When Van Halen was enshrined, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth didn’t even bother to show up. When Guns’ N’ Roses was enshrined, Axl Rose as a no-show. He had no interest in performing with his former bandmates. Paul McCartney was also a no-show for The Beatles induction, due to some business disagreements within The Beatles camp. John Fogerty totally blew off the other members of Creedence Clearwater Revival when the band was enshrined and actually performed without them, even though they were there. (That band made KISS look like a happy family.)  Roger Waters would not appear with Pink Floyd. Lots of bad blood there. And Jerry Garcia was a no-show when The Grateful Dead was inducted. He supposedly thought the whole Hall of Fame thing was dumb. 

Hell, even David Crosby, who has been enshrined twice, once as a member of The Byrds and once as a member of Crosby, Stills & Nash, once trashed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to me in an interview. He said that when CSN was inducted, he was very offended that their longtime band would not be permitted to join them at their table and would be charged $1,500 each to attend. Other guests, he said, including Neil Young – who coincidently was being inducted at the same time with Buffalo Springfield, were equally miffed. Young was told that if he wanted to bring his kids to the ceremony, he would be charged $1,500 per person. To top it all off, Crosby said that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sold the rights to broadcast the ceremony to VH1, but offered no compensation to the enshrined performers who were providing the entertainment.

“Neil told them to take their award and stuff it where the sun doesn’t shine,” said Crosby. “Joni Mitchell didn’t come for the same reason. She was grossly offended. The first time I went, I felt I was being honored. The second time, I felt I was being taken advantage of.”

I share these stories because it seems as though lots of KISS fans are about to jump off the cliff over all of this. Please, settle down. We don’t know what really went down behind the scenes. But we do know what we've always known.

 

We know that Nikki Sixx was right. KISS has great songs.

 

And we know that Dave Marsh was wrong. KISS is a great band. KISS was always a great band. KISS will always be a great band.

That's all that really matters to me.

And when the original four put their differences aside next month and will hopefully at least stand side-by-side to accept this honor, remember they’re already doing more than some other bands have done in that situation, and that they’re doing it mostly for you. And remember, you don’t need to anyone else to tell you how great you think their songs are.

Just pop in “Double Platinum.”

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Alan K. Stout has covered rock and pop music in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1992. He currently contributes stories to The Weekender, the region's #1 arts and entertainment newspaper, and his weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu," can be heard every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River (104.9-FM) in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. To view all of his articles on KISS, visit www.alankstout.com/KISS

Follow Alan K. Stout's thoughts on music on Facebook at www.facebook.com/musiconthemenu

 

ROCK THE VOTE!

 

 

We're getting ready for our final "MUSIC ON THE MENU LIVE" show of 2013,

and you can help us pick the songs!

 

  

Hello everyone,

On Sunday, December 22, I’ll be doing my annual “Music On The Menu Live Holiday Special.”  I’ve been doing this show on the Sunday before Christmas for about seven years now, and it’s always one of my favorite programs of the year. Throughout the entire hour, I’ll be playing Christmas music being performed by our own NEPA artists. Some of the songs will be from local artists offering their renditions of holiday classics while others will be original compositions. And, like last year, I’ll have a few special guests in the studio. Hope you can tune in. It’s always a fun show.

On Sunday, December 29, I’ll be doing my last show of 2013. It’s been a great year for “Music On The Menu Live,” as the show found a new home at 105 The River. I’ve now been at The River since early October and I couldn’t be happier with how things are going. The show is on a great station, right in the middle of your FM dial, and you can also listen online. We’re commercial free each week and we podcast the show  each week, so if you miss it on Sunday night, you can listen to it whenever it’s most convenient for you. We’re broadcasting right from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, one of the hottest spots in town, we're still sponsored by The Weekedner, and I’m working with a great producer, Lobo, who brings both fun and professionalism to each show. It’s been all good, and since Lobo and I want to end 2013 on a fun note and thank you for listening, we’ve decided to let you program the final “Music On The Menu Live” show of the year. Below you will find the playlist of every show we’ve done since the show moved to 105 The River on October 6. For those shows, I picked the songs. For our final show of 2013, you'll pick the songs. To vote, just look through each playlist and then send me a message of five of your favorite songs that we played on the show since October. The 12 songs that get the most votes will get played on the December 29 edition of "Music On The Menu Live."

Again, just take a look at all of the playlists below and send your favorite five songs to musiconthemenu@comcast.net or send me a message at www.facebook.com/musiconthemenu 

Please send your list of five songs to me by 4 p.m. on Monday, December 23. 

Here are the playlists:

 October 6 show:

1. Who’s To Blame – Tim Husty

2. Pieces of You – k8
3. Wink – Miz
4. Dance All Night – Farley
5. When We Fall – Stardog Champion  
6. Unreal – Mere Mortals
7. Love Like That – Asiz
8. The Tower – Cabinet
9. Throw Your Love To The Wind – Iron Cowboy
10. Do What You Like – George Wesley
11. Timothy – The Buoys  
12. World In A Way – The Badlees

 October 13 show:

1. Memory (Goodbye) – Nowhere Slow

2. Submission – Shannon Marsyada  
3.The Best That I Could Do – Rick Manwiller
4. Dedicated – Mighty Fine Wine  
5. When Eagles Fly – Kevin Campion
6. Break Me Down – Jeanne Zano
7. Always The Victim – Graces Downfall
8. Walk Alone – The Five Percent
9. Still Cry – Ed Randazzo
10. The Diary of Jane – Breaking Benjamin
11. Nothing Like The Real Thing – Badlees

 October 20 show (Badlees special):

1. World In The Way – The Badlees

2. Nothing Like The Real Thing – The Badlees
3. Wanderlust – The Badlees
4. Waiting On A Memory – The Badlees
5. Vigilante For The Golden Rule – The Badlees
6. All At One Time – The Badlees
7. Appalachian Blues – The Badlees
8. The Man Who Went Away (John Galt’s Blues.) – The Badlees
9. A Place To Call Home – The Badlees

October 27 show:

1 . Stick in The Mud – Shannon Marsyada

2. Rest Out – Jared Campbell
3. Too Soon - Iron Cowboy
4. Ritual – Crush
5. Once – Fall of Empire
6. Bury Yesterday – Jackson Vee
7. The Naked Sea – Days Before Tomorrow
8. Boogie On – Lemongelli
9. Miss You – Melissa Krahnke
10. Truth Is On The Way – I Am Buffalo
11. The Secret (Jamie) – The SilenTreatment
12. The Bleed – Silhouette Lies
13. Waiting on A Memory -  Badlees

November 3 show:

1. Boogie On – Lemongelli

2. Beat Down – Dashboard Mary
3. Between The Lines – Jakesway
4. We’re Gonna Get There – Eva Katherine  
5. On The Radio – Main Offender
6. Love Like That – Asiz  
7. Evangeline – Tony Halchak  
8. Day After Day – Monster Truck Supergroup
9. New Morning Sky – Miz
10. Meteors – Plus 3
11. Better Off – Ronnie Williams
12. Nothing Like The Real Thing – Badlees

 November 10 show:

1. Small Town Waltz – Bob Lewis

2. Waiting On Me – Farley
3. Everybody Here – Angelbeth
4. My Kid Smokin’ – And The Moneynotes
5. Wine & Shine – Cabinet
6. Anthem – Clove
7. Two For The Road – Eddie Appnel  
8. Next Town – The Invisible Swordsmen
9. The Way Life’s Supposed To Be – International Pete
10. Solid Gold – The Great Party
11. Push The Pill – OurAfter
12. The Man Who Went Away – Badlees

November 17 show:

1. Dance All Night – Farley  

2. Old Lion – George Wesley  
3. No Looking Back – Graces Downfall  
4. Bleeding Ears – Chris Hludzik 
5. Dipsomnia - Jerry Sapphire
6. Orion – k8
7. Side of The Mountain – Maruce Project
8. Heaven’s Love – Maybe Someday
9. Black Riders – Zamani
10.Minimum – Wally & The Paupacks
11. If I Only Knew – Tom Flannery
12. Vigilante For The Golden Rule – Badlees

November 24 show:

1. We The Broken - Panacea

2. The 1 Who Got Away – Rick Manwiller
3. Keep Me Turning On – Bent Blue
4. Blow Me Away – Breaking Benjamin
5. I Just Might – Charles Havira
6. The Futch – Doug Mackie
7. Ring Them Bells – Ed Randazzo
8. History – Jay Morgans
9. Last Call For Alcohol – Kermit Alphonso Project
10. Walking On A Fine Line – Mere Mortals    
11. Rugged Rebel – Suze
12. Don’t Let Me Hide – Badlees

 December 1 show (“Snow Tracks” special):

1. You Don’t Know - Cabinet 
2. Renaissance Man ­- Cherokee Red   
3. Claws - Kid Icarus
4. Hecho En Mexico - The Great Party
5. Biting At The Rose - Needle Points
6. Insomnia Hold You - Cold Coffee
7.  The Show - Abstract Peoples
8. Critical Mass- Roug Chimp
9.  Louisa - Okay Paddy    

December 8 show:

1. Still In Love – The Five Percent

2. Throw Your Love To The Wind – Iron Cowboy  
3. Joke’s On You – Dani-elle
4. Ashes On The Sea – Mere Mortals  
5. It’s All Up To You – Dani-elle
6. Rubberoom – Strawberry Jam
7. Junk – Mighty Fine Wine
8. Battle Call – Three Imaginary Boys
9. When We Fall – Stardog Champion
10. Stick In The Mud – Shannon Marsyada
11. Missed It By A Minute – Woody Browns Project
12. The Man Who Went Away – Badlees

December 14 show:

1. Orion – k8

2. Toothpullin’ – Cider
3. Heels Of The Day – Miz
4. Lovely Please – Kriki
5. Fallen – No Vacancy
6. Letter – Nowhere Slow
7. Come Into My House – Robert Reilly
8. 1-9-6 - 40-Lb. Head
9. Draw Me In – Kids On Bikes
10. Life As A Dime – Moonbagg
11. Sara Jean – The Swims
12. Too Many Changes – Badlees

Again, send your five favorite songs to musiconthemenu@comcast.net or send a message to me at www.facebook.com/musiconthemenu. And remember, I'll need your lists by 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 23. Thank you! Looking forward to playing your favorite tunes on the show on December 29! 

 Alan

 

 CONCERT REVIEW:

Lisa Marie Presley cuts her own creative path

Lisa Marie Presley concert review published November 20, 2013 

By Alan K. Stout
Weekender Music Correspondent
November 20, 2013

SELLERSVILLE, PA - When Lisa Marie Presley initially decided to pursue a career in music, she could have gone in any direction she chose, and – if it was really what she wanted – she could have easily become a pop star. With her sultry singing voice, her good looks, and her last name, it’s very easy to imagine back in the ‘90s any major record label welcoming the opportunity to work with her. Get her some great pop songs written by professional hit-makers, teach her some choreographed dance moves, put her in a sexy music video, and the rest would have taken care of itself. A glitzy stint in Vegas – a town that her father owned – was also there for the taking. And in addition to the pop world, the country music community also certainly would have welcomed the opportunity to mold her into the next Shania.

Presley, however, would have none of it. She didn’t even release her first album until she was in her mid-30s, and when she did, she was the primary songwriter. And her music was neither pure pop nor country. Throughout the past decade, her career has moved forward on her own terms and at her own pace, and with her most recent effort, “Storm & Grace,” she appears to have found her best voice.

On Saturday, when her “Storm & Grace” tour made a stop at the sold-out Sellersville Theater, she continued to hit her stride.

Presley, supported by a superb five-piece band, opened the show with a stirring performance of “So Long,” one of the best tracks from the critically acclaimed “Storm & Grace.” Her music, particularly her new music, is thoughtful, textured, and rootsy and is anchored by raw emotion. If it was released 15 years ago at the time of the Lilith Fair – a golden era for female singer/songwriters – it’s easy to imagine Presley being invited to be a part of such a mega-tour. Instead, in 2013, she is out in mid-sized theaters reminding music fans that listening to someone truly expressing themselves through good songs is a fine way to spend an evening.

“It’s nice to be here in Pennsylvania,” said Presley before introducing “Over Me,” another catchy number from the new album, which was spiced by some thumpy stand-up bass and mandolin. A slinky rendition of “Storm of Nails” followed.

Though Presley’s musical style is greatly different from that of her late father, there was a period in his life, particularly in 1973 following his divorce and while recording at Stax , when he fully embraced soft and thoughtful ballads. And with the beautiful “Weary,” his daughter has written a song that it’s easy to imagine him not only loving, but recording. It was one of the show’s highlights.

“If there’s anybody here tonight that’s not here for the purpose of the show, but for some other creepy reason, this one goes out to you,” said Presley with a half laugh when introducing “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet,” a song that she also unapologetically admitted caused some trouble upon its initial release. Several tracks on “Storm & Grace” were apparently inspired by Presley’s separation from a certain church sometimes associated with Hollywood, and the experience apparently not only provided her with a fiery muse, but also inspired some of her best work. “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” is a fine song and will now always likely be seen as one of Presley’s signature numbers.

The mid-point of the show featured a slightly stripped down acoustic set. Presley, seated on a stool, joked that her songs were mostly “mean, sad or angry” and added that the rhythmic “Soften the Blows” was written at a time when she was “particularly vulnerable.” And while that number seemed to have come from a sad time in her life, clearly “Idiot,” which she also performed, came from a time of anger. Somehow, it all made for an engaging set, and throughout it all, Michael Lockwood, her guitarist, husband, and musical director, spiced each number with just the right touch.

“Lights Out,” a notable track from her debut album from a decade ago, references the Presley family gravesite in the backyard at Graceland and the uneasy feeling that the empty plot sometimes gives her, while “Un-Break,” another gem from “Storm & Grace,” featured Presley on percussion. The set ended with “Sticks and Stones,” to which Presley was met with a standing ovation. Encores included “I’ll Figure It Out” and a cover of Tom Petty’s “I Need to Know.”

“Thank you so much,” said Presley to another ovation. “Thank you, Pennsylvania.”

Lisa Marie Presley is not a pop star. Nor is she a country star. She’s not a jumping jack on stage, nor does she banter as easily with her audience as a certain other Presley that always looked as if he were born for the stage. But she is talented artist who has grown into a style that can be both elegant and edgy. Her music has both soul and purpose, and her concert revealed someone that, musically, seems to have found her footing while also walking in some rather daunting footsteps. Her fans should be happy about that, and her father’s fans should be proud. And when you listen to marvelous and moving songs such as “How Do You Fly This Plane?” and “Forgiving” from her new album, it’s nice to think that somewhere, he is proud, too.

She has chosen her own musical path. It is completely her own. And it’s perfect for her.

(Alan K. Stout has written about rock and pop music in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1992. His weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu," airs every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, Bloomsburg.)

 

Lisa Marie Presley offers ‘Grace’ after the ‘Storm’

Music’s favorite daughter will perform in Sellersville Nov. 16

 

By ALAN K. STOUT
Weekender Music Correspondent
November 12, 2013

 

Lisa Marie Presley carries with her the most famous last name in pop music history. She has been world famous since the day she was born. And though one might assume that with her personal history and her DNA she’d have all the makings of an extrovert, that’s not really the case when discussing her life. With some topics, she remains guarded, while with others, she speaks freely. Her latest critically-acclaimed album, “Storm & Grace,” falls into the category of the latter. And it’s worth talking about.

 

In a recent interview with The Weekender, Presley talked about “Storm & Grace,” its accompanying tour, and some of her other recent musical endeavors in her native hometown of Memphis, where she not only recorded at the legendary Sun Studios, but also performed live on the same stage where a young and upcoming artist named Elvis Presley performed in 1954. She also recently did a home recording, so to speak. But in her case, “home” just happened to be the Jungle Room in a place called Graceland.

 

Presley’s debut album, “To Whom It May Concern,” was released in 2003 and was followed by 2005’s “Now What.” Seven years passed before she reemerged with “Storm & Grace,” but with it, she presented some of her most inspired work. She says the songs began to take shape in 2010, not long after relocating to England. Her muse was her own life.

 

“It always just comes from what’s going on in my life,” says Presley, 45. “Every one of my records is the same – whatever’s happening. It’s just a way for me to sort of purge whatever experience I’ve gone through.”

 

Interviewer Alan K. Stout & Lisa Marie Presley 

For the songs on “Storm and Grace," Presley says quite a bit of purging was necessary. And though she offers no specifics when it comes to discussing their inspiration, she is very open about the fact that it was a frustrating time in her life.

 

 “When I did this record, I was just writing to get myself through a certain period,” she says. “I didn’t have a deal, or a label, or anything in mind. I was just writing for myself as I was processing a lot of things. I had to completely get rid of everything I once knew in my life – it was like an awakening. I was realizing that things around me weren’t as they seemed and people around me weren’t what I thought.”

 

Because, from the outside, it appeared everything was stable in her personal life; some speculated some of Presley’s “awakening” may have been reflective of changes in her religious views. Like many artists, however, she prefers to leave her music open to interpretation.

 

“Things were kind of falling apart, and I wasn’t sure what was going on, and it started a whole domino effect,” she says. “I sort of deconstructed everything and went from ground zero. I got rid of everyone and everything that I knew and started over again. I left the country.”

 

The songs Presley penned caught the attention of T-Bone Burnett, the accomplished Grammy-winning and Academy Award-winning producer whose work includes projects with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, John Mellencamp, Counting Crows, Elton John, Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, The Wallflowers, and Alison Krauss and Robert Plant. Burnett loved the material and easily agreed to produce the songs.

Published version of this interview signed by Lisa Marie Presley

 

“It meant everything to me at the time,” says Presley. “After going through what I went through, I didn’t come out with a whole lot of confidence about anything. Everything that I had known, or felt was true or good – aside from my children and your normal stuff – wasn’t. I didn’t have a whole lot of confidence at that time. I didn’t have any kind of fire. My furnace was very dimly lit. So when he believed in me and wanted to do the project, it really breathed some life into me and gave me some confidence that I desperately needed at the time. It was welcomed.”

 

The result is widely regarded as her best work. Rolling Stone called it “the album she was born to make – a raw, powerful country, folk, and blues collection that finds her embracing her Southern roots and family name.” Spinner.com wrote that “Presley has made the strongest album of her career. It’s a moody masterpiece, exploring the demons and angels of her life to the tune of country-spiced downbeat pop.” Presley says she was greatly flattered by the praise, but adds that if it didn’t happen, it wouldn’t have mattered.

 

“It’s not that I’m not appreciative – everyone likes acknowledgment,” she says. “But it was so raw and so honest and so real that I didn’t honestly care, because it was so much from my soul. There’s no bells. There’s no whistles. There’s no smoke screens. It’s all very authentic. The people that I care about, I knew it would reach. It was more of a labor of love, and if somebody didn’t like it, I was too raw to even care. It was coming right from my soul.”

 

Though Presley’s writing is inspired by her own life, she says one of the reasons she chooses to channel her emotions into music is so that listeners may also see themselves in the songs.

 

“I try to formulate songs for myself, but also for other people, so that they can relate, and it can help other people,” she says. “I try to transform whatever I’ve gone through into a song so that it can help others. That’s what I care about. If it reaches other people and helps somebody else get through something – even if it’s dark, even if it’s not always lollipops – that’s what I care about.”

 

Despite a life that has included two celebrity marriages (Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage) and being the only child of the King of Rock and Roll, Presley has done a remarkable job of forging her own identity as an artist. She rarely treads into the world of Elvis in her songs, and her music is distinct from that of her father. And perhaps that’s why, over the past 18 months, she seems to have become more comfortable in walking in some of his footsteps. In May of 2012, she and her band – which includes her husband, guitarist Michael Lockwood – recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis in the same room where her father, in 1954, recorded a little number called “That’s All Right” that helped launch a musical revolution. The performance was later aired on PBS television.

 

“I loved it,” says Presley. “It was very exciting for all of us. We spent the whole day there at a CD signing and a recording. Everybody had a big smile on their face. It was great.” 

Elvis's airplane, "The Lisa Marie," is on display near Graceland

Another historical moment came just two months ago, when Presley performed at the Levitt Shell in Memphis. The outdoor pavilion, formerly known as the Overton Park Bandshell, is the same place where a young Elvis Presley – while building a regional following but still two years away from national fame – performed in 1954.

  

“That was emotional,” she says. “I was really nervous. It was a free concert, and we had no idea what was going to happen, and it ended up that 6,500 people came. It felt like a homecoming for me. My family was there. My kids were there. My mom flew in. It was a big deal. It was pressure, but fun. I had to really kind of focus on what I was doing. It was very emotional and very intense, but I had to focus on the technicalities of what I normally think about when I’m doing a show. Otherwise, it would just be overwhelming.”

 

The very next day, she performed several songs at Graceland in the famous Jungle Room. In 1976, her father recorded there and much of the material was featured on his final two albums: “From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee” and “Moody Blue.” Presley recalls watching those sessions as a child. For her sessions, she says she found herself in two roles: recording artist and concerned housekeeper.

“It was very strange, because I’m very protective of it,” says Presley. “All of these people ended up being there that day. It was closed session, and we waited until the tours stopped, and all of a sudden everybody had invited their entire families to come. I was like, ‘It was supposed to be really low key. Where are all of these people coming from?’ And then furniture was getting moved and things were getting moved around, and I was getting upset and sort of antsy. I am very protective of it, so on that front, it was kind of stressful for me. Otherwise, I was very comfortable. It was my home. That’s where I grew up. I was more worried about the carpet.”

 

Presley’s sessions recorded in the Jungle Room will be shown on Yahoo Music’s “Ram Country” on Nov. 13.

 

Prior to such recent musical projects, Presley’s most notable work, which had such a direct link to her father, came from several duets on his songs, which through the magic of audio production, were done à la Natalie Cole/Nat King Cole. In 1997, to coincide with the 20th anniversary of his passing, she recorded “Don’t Cry Daddy,” and in 2007, to note the 30th anniversary, she recorded “In the Ghetto.” In 2012, for the 35th anniversary, she recorded “I Love You Because.” She says the duets are mostly done as a gesture of appreciation to his fans and that when it comes to picking the songs, she simply goes with what feels right.

 

“It’s whatever seems appropriate at the time,” she says. “‘Don’t Cry Daddy’ seemed appropriate for the first one. I loved ‘In the Ghetto,’ which raised money for housing projects, so that seemed appropriate. And T-Bone actually picked ‘I Love You Because,’ but I loved it and thought it was appropriate. Each one kind of has a different vibe and a different energy.”

 

A different vibe and a different energy is also how Presley describes the nightly stops on her current “Storm & Grace” tour. And that is something she enjoys. Touring, she says, comes naturally to her.

 

“I love being on the road,” she says. “It’s my favorite thing in the world. We’re in the middle of a 46-show tour and we have 19 left, and I’m getting sad that we have only have 19 left. I just love it. I love the energy of it. It’s different every day. The audience is different every night. We were in Chicago, and the people were so enthusiastic they were on their chairs. Every night is different. I don’t know what I’m going to walk into. I don’t know how they’re going to be. I don’t know how I’m going to be. There are no tracks running here. There’s no bells or whistles. There’s not a big production. It’s just the record. It’s a very intimate record, so it’s a very intimate show. And I love doing it. It’s my favorite part of all of this.”

(Alan K. Stout has written about rock and pop music in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1992. His weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu," airs every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. on 105 The River in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, Bloomsburg.)

The full audio recording of this interview can be heard here: https://youtu.be/j2At07nM0rs 

A PINK RIBBON FOR SORAYA

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU 

It was February of 1996, and as the music columnist at The Times Leader at the time, I was off to cover another event. At that point in my career, I'd already been reviewing shows for about four years, and even prior to that, going back to my early teens, I'd been to a lot of concerts. I enjoyed it, but it seemed pretty rare at that point to experience something at a show that really surprised me.

This night, however, would not be typical. On tap on this particular winter evening was Natalie Merchant at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre. I showed up, as always, with a notebook and pen and a deadline to file my story. And it was to be one of those special nights when the unexpected happened.

It was one of those nights when the opening act - an artist that I had never heard of before - left me awestruck.

Her name was Soraya. She was on Island Records. And obviously by landing a spot on the Natalie Merchant tour, things were starting to go her way. Her songs were captivating. Her voice was beautiful. She was charismatic, yet in a subtle way, and her entire performance was completely engaging.

The next day, I was on the phone with Island Records, asking that they send me a copy of her CD, "On Nights Like This," and her bio. I wanted to write about the record and, hopefully, turn some more people on to an up and coming artist that I felt deserved to be heard. And that's exactly what I did.

The album, like her set at The Kirby, was fabulous. I gave it one of the most positive reviews I'd ever written. I thought, for sure, that she would soon become a star, especially considering this was around the time of the "Lilith Fair" and what was really a golden era of music for female singer/songwriters.

From my review:

"A dazzling-yet-grounded performer with a smile that could stop rush-hour traffic, Soraya's performance was refreshing, inspiring and utterly captivating ... The album is a breezy collection of romantic, acoustic-based ballads that celebrate life's joys, questions its dilemmas and mourns it sorrows .... Her stirring music deserves even more attention."  

Though she did later have some commercial success, most of you have probably never heard of Soraya. Adding to her many talents, she was also a bilingual artist, and thus most of her success came on the Latin charts. She also later won a Latin Grammy for "Best Album by a Singer-Songwriter."

I admit I didn't know any of that until recently. Back in '96, I simply loved her show at The Kirby, loved her album, told the readers of the newspaper that I wrote for about her music and - like people often do when they think they've found something special - I played it for some friends. I also remember talking to a colleague who was the program director of an adult contemporary radio station, and him telling me how he too was pretty blown away by her performance in Wilkes-Barre, and that he too thought we'd be hearing a lot more from her in years to come.

Again, however, that never really happened. And, believe it or not, that doesn't surprise me. Big record labels often seem to have a knack for signing great artists, but then never really helping them break through to a wider audience. She was also signed around the time of the Polygram/Seagrams sale, when what is now Universal Music gobbled up most of the music industry and, unfortunately, didn't properly develop some of their best talent. But again, in fairness, she did later go on to do very well in other parts of the world.

As the years went by, I lost track of Soraya. But I always kept that wonderful CD of hers, and one day recently, I decided to Google her to see what she was up to. And I was stunned at what I learned.

Soraya died in 2006 of breast cancer. She was 37 years old.

The same illness had also claimed her mother, grandmother and aunt.

Being that this is national "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," I thought I would honor her memory by sharing her story and posting my favorite song from that fine album that I wrote about 16 years ago. Breast cancer has also touched my family, and it has touched the lives of my friends and co-workers. Some have survived it. Some have not.

This blog is my pink ribbon for all of them, and to Soraya. Please listen to this piece of music that I've posted here and know that the artist that wrote it and sang it - like so many of the people that you may have known in your own lives - should still be with us. Please support agencies that fund breast cancer research, and please remind the women in your lives to go for their yearly exams.

Soraya left us with the gift of her songs. And though she's now gone, we can still, in a way, give her something back. We can still listen to those songs, and while doing so, remain dedicated to curing the illness that took her life.

What a voice she had. What a beautiful voice.