Flannery’s ‘Under The Covers’ brings area musicians together

He wrote the songs. Other artists performed them. And that’s just what he wanted.

  

By ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
October, 15, 2014

Songwriters can often be quite protective of their songs. They don’t like producers tweaking them too much, and sometimes, they don’t even like other artists to cover them, even if it’s being done as gesture of respect. When The Foo Fighters once covered a Prince song, the famed Purple One famously told them that they should stick to writing their own music.   

Ouch.

The attitude of local songwriter Tom Flannery, however, is quite the opposite. And for his most recent album, “Under The Covers: The Songs of Tom Flannery,” he was not only pleased to hear other artists perform his songs, but he was the one that asked them to do it.  Though he’s been recording for more than 15 years and has released an impressive body of work, for this album, he decided to take his hands off the wheel. He reached out to some fellow musicians that he admired, gave them his songs, and asked them to have at it.

“I’m not really playing on it at all,” says Flannery. “I basically just handed them off. I just gave them a rough demo. And that’s what made it really cool. I told everybody the same thing. I said ‘I’m not just asking for ‘guest vocalist.’ If I give you a demo of a song, what I want is for you to take it and turn it into your own.’  I didn’t want a mimic of my demo. I told them to feel free to change the key, change the tempo, change the phrasing … all I asked was that they keep the melody mostly the same, and keep the lyrics the same.”

Flannery is a native of Dunmore and resides in Archbald.  “Under The Covers: The Songs of Tom Flannery,” is his seventh album. Six of those releases were solo efforts and one was recorded with the band The Shillelaghs. His first record, “Song About A Train,” was released in 1998. He’s also been a respected playwright, one of which, “The Driveway,” was directed by the late Pulitzer Prize winning dramatist and Academy award nominated actor Jason Miller. His latest album was recorded at his home studio and at the studios of those that performed on it.

Artists contributing to the album include Kris and Julie Kehr, John Canjar (Nowhere Slow), George Wesley, Asialena, Bret Alexander (The Badlees, Gentleman East), Lorne Clarke, Neil Luckett, Michael Jerling, Tim McGurl, Joe “Wiggy” Wegleski (Jigsaw Johnny, Jugdish), Shannon Marsyada, Josh Pratt, Van Wagner and Lisa Moscatiello. Only one track, the final one on the record, is sung by Flannery. Flannery says he loves how those that contributed to the project put their own stamp on the tracks. For some sessions, he wasn’t even there.

“With Bret Alexander’s track, that’s all him,” he says. “I’m not on it at all. He did it all at his own studio. I play guitar on Asialena’s track, and aside from that, and the last song, that’s the only track I’m on. People said, ‘You wrote a reggae track for George Wesley,’ and I said, ‘No, I wrote a song for George Wesley.’ That’s just what George does.”

Flannery says he was a fan of every artist that he asked to appear on the CD, and that with many of them, he had previously developed a friendship. Still, despite being familiar with their work, he was still surprised at the results.

 “The song that kicked it off was the one with John Canjar,” he says. “I’ve known John since he was a teenager, and he’s just an incredible talent. And he came over and just killed it. People were like, ‘Man, that’s really special,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, it really hits.’ It was the coolest thing. I sent him a demo, and he came up with some of the guitar on his own, and he did it in one take. I could have never done the song the way he did it. He made it a better song. And I had a similar reaction to almost everything.”

In addition to simply being interested as to how other artists would interpret his work, Flannery says another reason he took the hands-off approach to the album was because he was tired of singing. He is grateful to everyone that participated.

“They didn’t have to do it, but they did,” he says. “I always considered myself a songwriter first and a performer just by default. I can play the guitar, but I was never crazy about my own voice. So I wondered if this was something that people would be interested in doing. And the response blew me out of the water. I did not expect the type of response and the performances that I got. It kind of blew my mind. The songs - what these guys did with them - it just turns it up a notch. It’s now difficult for me to sing these songs myself, because you have these versions in the back of your head, and you think ‘I can’t touch these.’ If somebody asked me for my best batch of songs, or asked what I was like as a songwriter, this is probably the record I would give them.”


"Under The Covers: The Songs of Tom Flannery’"is available at  www.tomflannery.com

  (Alan K. Stout has covered 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. This story also appears in the October 15, 2014 edition of The Weekender.)

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THANK YOU, ELECTRIC CITY MUSIC CONFERENCE

THANK YOU, EVERYONE

On October 10, 2014, I was presented with the “Lifetime Achievement Award” at The Steamtown Music Awards, which were a part of The Electric City Music Conference. I was told I was being given the award because of my career in music journalism, radio, and in presenting musical events. It was a very humbling and flattering experience, and after being introduced with some very kind words from Joe Caviston, one of the event’s organizers, and Michael Lello of Highway 81 Revisited, and Lobo from 105 The River, I was asked to say a few words. Thankfully, Joe had told me in advance that they hoped I might give a little speech, and so I was able to prepare. And that, to me, was what made this all very special, because it gave me the opportunity to thank some of the people that helped get me there. Some of those people were in the audience. Some were not. Regardless, I thought I’d post an outline of my words here on my blog.  I kept it all to about five minutes, but I just wanted everyone to know how much they are appreciated:

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First, I’d like to thank everyone involved in The Electric City Music Conference for this award, especially Joe and Ken, who have worked very hard at making this event happen. When you’re out there writing your stories, or doing your radio show, or putting on an event, you never really know if anyone cares. But tonight, you’ve told me that you do care, and I truly appreciate that. And when you are being given a "Lifetime Achievement Award," there were obviously a lot of people along that way that you’ve encountered in your life that helped get you there. And I’d like to take just a few minutes to thank them.  And I guess I’ll start with where it all began …

My late grandfather, for really being the first one to turn me on the beauty of music.  Listening to records with him in his "parlor" on his beautiful floor-style stereo - which was essentially a large piece furniture - had a great impact on my life. He was very serious about his music. He loved that stereo and he loved his records, and my grandfather and I did not watch much TV. We listened to music.  All the time. Thank you, Grandpa.

My parents. When I was a teenager, music was my life. And my parents were OK with that. Back in the ‘80s, long before we had an amphitheater at Montage and an arena in Wilkes-Barre, you had to go out of town to see your favorite bands. And if you weren’t old enough to drive, you needed someone to take you. In 1982, I asked my parents if they’d take me to see this band called The Who at the old JFK Stadium in Philadelphia. And they agreed to do it. They dropped me and a buddy of mine off in front of the stadium before the show, while they went to spend the day in the city, and when they picked me up a few hours later, I was not the same person. That day changed my life. It was my first concert, and it was the first time I truly experienced the power and the beauty of rock and roll. Over the next few years, until I got old enough to drive myself, my parents would shuttle my friends and I off to other shows in places like New York or Allentown. They always supported my love for music, and that's a big part of the reason I'm here tonight. Thank you, Mom and Dad.

In 1992, I expressed an interest in writing about music, or music journalism.  The Times Leader gave me that opportunity, and once they did, I ran with and have run with it to this day.  There were many people there that were instrumental in the success of my career, including Paul Gallagher, who hired me as a music correspondent, Mary Therese Biebel, who gave me my first full-time job in the newsroom, and Chris Ritchie, who gave me the opportunity to be a features writer. And, of course, Joe Butkiewicz, who was probably my greatest mentor in journalism. The years I worked for him were my favorite years at The Times Leader and The Weekender.  Thank you, Times Leader and Weekender, and all of the people that I worked with there over the course of 18 years. I am thinking about all of you tonight. 

Lyn Carey. Not only did she own the coolest rock club in town, but she also published her own music magazine called “Sound Check.” In 1993, she asked me to write for that magazine. I was still a very young writer at the time, and through that magazine, more readers and more musicians immediately became more familiar with my work. I only wrote for “Sound Check” for two years, but it had a very important impact on my career. Thank you, Lyn.

My friend, Joe Ohrin, who is here tonight. Joe took me under his wing a bit back in the ‘80s at WRKC-Radio King’s College. He had his own show, and I often sat in with him. And even though we were just small college station in Wilkes-Barre, PA, we didn’t think any artist was too big for us to try and interview, and we landed some interviews with some of rock’s biggest bands. I learned that from Joe, and took that same approach with me to The Times Leader and The Weekender. Thank you, Joe.

My friend Jim Rosensteel, who has helped me archive many of my older interviews and concert reviews online. It’s nice to know that a concert review or an interview you did 20 years ago can still be read, and that wouldn’t be possible without Jim helping me with my websites. Thank you, Jim.

Jim Rising, for first giving me my own radio show 10 years ago on The Mountain, and Dave Stewart, who produced the show for many years. And to everyone at 105 The River. I’ve been there for a year now - it's one year this week - and I want to thank everyone there for making me feel so welcome and for helping keep local music on the radio. Thank you to Vince, who is here tonight, and to Lobo, who is also here. I am very proud to call 105 The River my home base for music.

Mitch Kornfeld and everyone at The Woodlands. For 10 years, The Woodlands was our home for “Concert For A Cause,” for which they pretty much let us take over the entire complex. Thank you for that, Mitch, and to Richie Kossuth, Gene Smith and everyone at Rock Street Music for helping make that event so special.

I also want to thank KISS. KISS, with songs such as “Get All You Can Take” and “King Of The Mountain,” helped changed my life. In the ‘80s, when I was a teenager, KISS often wrote about the concept of individuality and self-worth. They helped guide me towards the attitude of not really giving a damn what anybody else thinks of you, and to just be yourself. Thank you, KISS. That had an incredibly positive impact on my life, not only as a journalist, but as a person. Thank you, also, to U2 and Bruce Springsteen, for showing me that rock and roll could be thoughtful and poignant, and thank you to Van Halen, for showing me that rock and roll could be great without being thoughtful and poignant. And thank you to Elvis Presley and The Beatles, for changing everything. None of us would be here tonight if it were not for you.

Thank you. also, to The Badlees and my friend Bret Alexander. In 1993, while at the newspaper, I received an album called “The Unfortunate Result of Spare Time.” That album changed the way I thought about everything when it came to local music. It was just as good as anything I’d ever heard before, and about a year and a half later, when the band dropped “River Songs,” I heard an album that was better than just about anything I’d ever heard before. And they were from right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Writing about The Badlees at that time was probably the most exciting thing I’ve ever written about. It was magic. They were the best band I ever wrote about. And I remain a fan of their music, still, to this day, including their current projects. I also want to thank Breaking Benjamin. When I wrote the very first story about them about 14 years ago, they didn’t even have a band photo. We took one for them, on the roof of the Times Leader. A few short years later, they were a platinum band. They showed me that it can happen, because it did happen. If you’re a young band out there, don’t forget it.

I want to thank every single band or artist that ever called me up at the newspaper or reached out to me in any way and asked that I might write about them. I want to thank every single band or artist that ever sent me a CD and asked me to consider playing it on the radio. And I want to thank every single band or artist that ever performed at one of the events I helped put together, whether it was ‘Concert For A Cause,’ or the old original music series that we did at The Waterfront or The Woodlands, or the current music series we now do at Mohegan Sun. You have all bettered my life with your music. It seems like whenever I write about a band, or play them on the radio, or work with them on an event, they thank me. I thank YOU. Thank YOU for thinking of me. This is our music scene, and we’re all in this together.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I thank my readers and my listeners. Thank you for reading my stories, listening to my show, and coming to the events that I’ve worked on.  It means more to me than you will ever know.

Again, I thank all of the wonderful people that have had such a great impact on my career in music. And, again, I want to thank the Electric City Music Conference for this award, and for the opportunity to thank everyone. There is a GREAT weekend of music conferences and live performances on tap here in Scranton, and I hope you can take it all in and enjoy it.

I leave you with a thought from AC/DC …

For those about to rock, I salute you.

Thank you. And God bless you.

 

'Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs’

delves deep into the music of The Boss  

 

 

 

Old Forge native’s new book examines and ranks the best songs of one of America’s best songwriters

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

There is perhaps no other American songwriter whose body of work has been as completely analyzed as that of Bruce Springsteen. He is considered by many to be the very best at his craft and, for the past four decades, his songs have enlightened and inspired millions. Books – many of them – have been written about Springsteen’s  life and his music, and a new text, written by Old Forge native and resident Jim Beviglia, dives deep into the context of that music in a way that has never been done before.

Titled “Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs,” the book offers a detailed analysis of 100 Springsteen gems while also ranking them in order from No. 100 all the way to No. 1. For its author, delving into the songs of The Boss has been a lifelong journey, as he’s been a fan for three decades.

 “It happened around 1984-1985 with the ‘Born In The U.S.A.’ album,” says Beviglia, 42. “ I was 12 or 13 years old, and I was a big fan of MTV. With MTV, a lot of those artists were different than what I was used to seeing around town. And that was kind of the allure – seeing artists like Adam Ant and Duran Duran. They were just from another world. And then Springsteen came on, and it was like somebody that I knew, or somebody that I might have seen around town. He was relatable in a way that those other artists weren’t. That was the draw for me. With songs like ‘Glory Days’ and ‘Dancing In The Dark,’ there was a relatable factor. And I think that’s how a lot of fans feel about his music.”

After first discovering Springsteen at the height of his commercial success, Beviglia began to dig deeper into Springsteen’s catalog, purchasing albums such as “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,” “Born To Run” and “Darkness on The Edge of Town.” He soon became an even bigger fan and has seen Springsteen in concert three times.

 “His live performances were just spectacular and they continue to be spectacular,” he says. “He really is the preeminent live performer of his era. He is still setting the standard. ”

Beviglia is a 1990 graduate of Scranton Prep High School and a 1994 graduate of Syracuse University, where he received a degree in broadcast journalism. “Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs” is his fifth book. He’s written similar countdown texts on Tom Petty, Elvis Costello and Radiohead, which were e-books, and one on Bob Dylan, which, like the Springsteen book, was a published text. He says that because he’s been such a big Springsteen fan for the past 30 years, he didn’t need to do much research when he sat down to write it. Still, that didn’t mean it wasn’t a very time-consuming project.

“With artists that I really love, I tend to be kind of a completist,” he says. “With Springsteen, I already had everything. I had all of the studio albums, I had the ‘Tracks’ boxed set, I had ‘The Promise,’ which was the ‘Darkness’ outtakes, I had the live albums … so I knew it all pretty well. I’d read books on the making of the albums, so a lot of the research was done before I started. I did, however, go back and listen to everything all  over again, from the first album to the last album and every recorded song that he officially released. But it really helped that I had an in-depth knowledge going in. From there, it was just sort of reinforcing that knowledge.”   

Beviglia’s selection of songs is interesting. Yes, most of the big hits and classics made the list, but throughout the countdown, there are also plenty of lesser known jewels, including songs from Springsteen’s folksy ‘Devils & Dust” album and from 2012’s “Wrecking Ball.” It is a comprehensive look at Springsteen’s 40-year career.

“That was important to me,” says Beviglia. “We’re in an era in music where a lot of times an album comes out and it sort of disappears. So whereas Springsteen’s diehard fans know the stuff that he’s released in the last 20 to 25 years, maybe the casual fans don’t, because the songs aren’t getting played on the radio all the time. And yet there is work there that is comparable to any of his best stuff. He did set such an amazing standard with what he did during the first 15 years of his career that it made it hard for anything that he did to live up to it. But the fact that he has been able to rise to that standard is amazing.”

 Beviglia admits that, sometimes, the difference in quality between a song such as “The River,” which he ranks at No. 14, might not be that much from a song such as “Backstreets,” which comes in at No. 8.

“After the book was done, I was driving home one day and I had ‘E Street Radio’ on, and ‘The Promised Land’ came on, and I was listening to it, and it’s just perfect,” he says. “There’s not an ounce of flab on it. The words, the music – everything just works perfectly together – and it tells this great story. It sends a great message. It’s uplifting.  There’s nothing wrong with it. So I went back and I looked, and was No. 37 in the book. I said ‘How is that possible?’ But then you look at the other songs ahead of it, and you say ‘Oh, yeah, now I understand.’ It really was like splitting hairs. And with an artist like Springsteen, it’s so tough, because he’s got so many great songs. Ultimately, it just came down to a set of criteria that I had: ‘How well did the song communicate the message? How well did the music fit with the lyrics? Did he achieve what he was trying to set out to do?’ It’s kind of a gut feeling once  you get to that point. Obviously my list is going to differ from just about every other Springsteen fan out there, but I tried to give it as much due diligence as possible and really research these things and really thoroughly go over every part of every song.”

Though they are not written about in detail - as the songs are that are featured in the countdown - the book also includes a section titled  “… and 100 more” which lists an additional 100 of Springsteen’s best songs.

“After 100, there were still songs where I said, ‘How can this not be on there?’ ” says Beviglia with a laugh. “The funny thing is, I could go past 200, and there’s still probably 20 to 25 songs that I enjoy that didn’t make the list. That’s the thing – if you’re going to do a book like this, the artist has to have not only a long career, but a consistently great career.”

“Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs” has already received positive reviews. Publishers Weekly wrote that “Beviglia's knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject will be appreciated” and lauded not only his picks, but also how he went about choosing them. They also praised the manner in which Beviglia dissects the many themes found in Springsteen’s work and the cohesiveness of his albums.  Dave Marsh, a noted Springsteen biographer who has written extensively for Rolling Stone, says that  "Counting Down Bruce Springsteen belongs in every bar on the shore—not just from Atlantic Highlands to Barnegat Bay, from Maine to Florida, too. Guaranteed to start all sorts of arguments, and settle a few too.”

Beviglia says his next book will countdown the 100 greatest songs by The Rolling Stones.  “Counting Down Bruce Springsteen: His 100 Finest Songs” is available through all online booksellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

“The neat thing about Springsteen is that if you trace his career and trace each album, it kind of follows the arc of a life,” says Beviglia. “You have the early albums, where you have those characters, and they’re young, and they’re out in the streets and causing trouble, and then things start to change. With ‘Darkness On The Edge of Town,’ they have to get a job, and on ‘Nebraska,’ they start to look out to the world around them and see these social concerns. With ‘Tunnel of Love’ they start to have relationships. With ‘Working On A Dream,’ it’s really about middle-aged people and getting older, and all of the triumphs and the heartaches that come with that. That’s the great thing about Springsteen’s music. And that’s the thing that people relate to. They can point at different milestones in their own lives, and point to different songs he’s written, and say ‘I can relate to that,’ or ‘I’ve been there.’ If there’s one characteristic of Springsteen’s songwriting and his recording career that really stands out, it is that ability to resonate with people throughout their entire lives.”

 (Alan K. Stout has covered 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. He has seen Bruce Springsteen in concert 10 times and names “Racing In The Streets” as his favorite Springsteen song. This story also appears in the Oct. 8, 2014 edition of The Weekender and the Oct. 8, 2014 edition of The Times Leader.)

 

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Dustin Douglas rocks with melody

Debut solo CD from gifted musician puts emphasis on songwriting

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU
October 1, 2014 

Dustin Douglas has arrived.

Yes, the gifted guitarist and vocalist, who has been a fixture within the Northeastern Pennsylvania music scene for more than a decade, has already done plenty of fine work. But with the release of his new album, “Black Skies and Starlight,” he’s jumped leaps and bounds as an artist.

It is the best music he’s ever made.

Douglas, 28, is perhaps best known to local music fans by his full name, Dustin Drevitch. But for his first solo album, he’s opted to use his given middle moniker. For him, the move was simply a symbolic gesture as he enters the next phase of his musical career.

“It wasn’t like a Prince move, where I just came up with a crazy stage name,” he says with a chuckle. “I didn’t change my name. It is my middle name.”

The change should make no difference to his fans. And over the years, he’s made plenty of those. Douglas’s former band, Lemongelli, an explosive power trio, released three critically acclaimed albums, each of which received regional airplay. He’s also spent the past five years performing with The Badlees, who were perhaps the most respected band to ever come from Northeastern Pennsylvania and certainly one of the most successful. Just last year, his impressive guitar work helped anchor the band’s double-disc set, “Epiphones & Empty Rooms.” And though The Badlees went through some major personnel changes this year, Douglas remains a touring member of the group. As for Lemongelli, that group has disbanded, though Douglas said the split was cordial.

“That was circumstantial,” he says. “We were done supporting the last album, our bassist got married and had a kid, and then The Badlees thing happened. It wasn’t there any more with us three. Life was happening – whether it was family life or career life – and it just ran its course. I loved that band and I loved what we did, but it was just time for some new pastures.” 

With the release of his first solo album, Douglas says he’s uncertain about his future with The Badlees. Still, he says he’s enjoyed being a part of the band for the past five years – and band that first formed when he was only four years old and one that he had long admired.

“I was definitely a fan,” he says. “My grandfather won a guitar from a radio station that was signed by The Badlees, and I found it up in the attic while I was in The Badlees. That put a smile on my face. And I’ve got to give props. I am a product of the Northeast PA music scene. I take it all in. Breaking Benjamin and The Badlees … fortunately I’m friends with both of those groups and I’ve learned a lot.”

“Black Skies and Starlight” was recorded at Saturation Acres recording studio and was produced by his former Badlees bandmate Bret Alexander, who had also produced Lemongelli. Tracks include “Daydream,” “Another Day In Disarray” and “My Door.” It’s a fine collection of guitar-driven rock, and for this record, Douglas says he took a different approach to the songwriting.

“For me, with Lemongelli, the songs always started with the riff,” he says. “It was a very guitar-riffed oriented band. This time around - and I would have to say it was definitely due to the time I spent with The Badlees - it was songs first. It was all about the songs. The songs and the melodies came before anything else. That’s where it’s different.”

It’s pointed out to Douglas that the music is fashion free. That, he says, is not by design. It’s simply a reflection of who he is as an artist.

“I’m at a point in my life where I’m just going to be what I am,” he says. “I’m just going to write the songs that come out of me, and whatever they sound like, they’re going to sound like. And they just sound like rock and roll music. Tom Petty is my biggest influence, but there’s different kinds of rock and roll, and I just want to touch on all of them – whether it’s rhythm and blues, or whether it’s a little harder. I’m influenced by all of that stuff, therefore I’m going to write that kind of stuff.”

Douglas says inspiration for writing comes from all places. He says he has many influences, some of which might surprise people.

“I’m very influenced by the radio,” he says. “I’m a rock dude at heart, but man, if there’s a good pop tune on the radio, I love it. I’ll crank it up. It’s popular for a reason. There’s nothing wrong with a catchy tune. I’m influenced by everything I listen to. Everything. And lyrically, it’s my life. I write about what’s going on around me. It’s not all autobiographical, but it’s stuff I see. I’m not really writing abstract stuff. I’m writing stuff that I see, stuff that I live and stuff that I have lived.”

Douglas, with his band, The Electric Gentleman, will hold a CD release party on Saturday, October 4 at the River Street Jazz Café. They’ll also perform on Tuesday, October 7 at Breakers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs as part of the “Music On The Menu Live Original Music Series.” That show will also be broadcast live on 105 The River. (104.9-FM in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.) Douglas says if there is one theme to the new record, it is his desire to take his music beyond Northeastern Pennsylvania and move on. And though he says he’s still not quite sure where he’s heading, he’s definitely ready to go.

“Wherever the wind takes me,” he says. “Even before this record was made, I was thinking ‘I don’t want anything to hold me back. I want to take off and go, and play this record for as many people as possible.’ I want to see the world. And there’s no better job in the world than to play music and travel. This is a fresh start. I feel like I’m in a different headspace. I’ve learned a lot. With The Badlees for five years, you learn things, you meet people, you see things. I can’t say I know what to do, or know what not to do. I just feel like my path is different and I have a better plan. I’m been working on this record for a while now. It’s been a process. And I’m really excited for people to hear it.”  

On the web: www.dustindouglasmusic.com

This story also appeared in the October 1, 2014 edition of The Weekender.

(Alan K. Stout has covered 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.)

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Soul Asylum brings melody with meaning to Mohegan

By ALAN K. STOUT
MUSIC ON THE MENU
August 24, 2014

 PLAINS TOWNSHIP - There isn’t a lot of soul in the music of Soul Asylum. At least not in the musical sense. You don’t hear a Marvin Gaye influence, or the impact of The Temptations. But obviously, when the band first chose its name 30 years ago, there was no intent to mislead. Its music, which can be both edgy and thoughtful, digs into the soul. In many ways, it exemplifies ‘90s alt-rock at its best: intense, meaningful and passionate. And thus its name is perfect.

The Minneapolis-based band rocked the Keystone Ballroom at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs on Saturday with a tight and energetic performance. It opened the show with “Without A Trace” and followed with the melodic and stompy “Never Really Been.” A breezy rendition of “The Juice,” spiced by some tasty harmonica playing by lead vocalist David Priner, followed.


Soul Asylum is an accomplished band. Its 1992 album, “Grave Dancers Union,” sold three million units. The group was invited to play Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration. In 1995, “Let Your Dim Light Shine” also went platinum. And it was one of the tracks from that album, “I Did My Best,” which also served as one of the show’s highlights. Reminiscent, melodically, of The Band’s “The Weight,” it’s simply a very good song that shines a bit brighter in the live setting.


Priner, as a frontman, was workman-like. The show kept a brisk pace, with little banter between songs, save for an occasional short quip. He was, however, gracious and appreciative of the audience, often saying “You’re too kind” when a song was well-received. He was also charismatic, particularity when he joined guitarist Justin Sharbono in firing off a lead or a solo.


“You’ve been a dynamite audience, and you deserve to give yourself a round of applause,” said Priner. “Let’s go.” The mini-tribute to KISS’ “Alive!” album may have gone past 90-percent of the audience, but it was a clever gesture and again showed the diversity of the band’s influences.


“Little Too Clean” was fueled by burning guitars and “Lately” offered some foot-tappin’ stomp. During “Misery,” Priner slid in a few verses of Paul McCartney’s “Silly Love Songs” and a driving and rhythmic performance of “Watcha Need” also offered a touch of funk. Other highlights of the set where two of the group’s signature songs, “Runaway Train” and “Somebody To Shove.” The show ended with a pounding performance of “April Fool.”


In addition to talent, Soul Asylum continues to display resiliency. Though the band lineup has shuffled over the years and original bassist Karl Mueller was lost to cancer, the group soldiers on. Its music is still intense, meaningful and passionate. And though at one time the group may have exemplified ‘90s alt-rock at its best, those songs – as well as the band’s more recent material – still connect in 2014. And in their own way, still offer plenty of soul.

(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) 




 

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!

KISS’ MAGIC SPANS THE GENERATIONS

By ALAN K. STOUT

MUSIC ON THE MENU

August 10, 2014

SCRANTON - Over the past 22 years, I’ve reviewed hundreds of rock concerts. But I can’t recall too many times when I’ve written one in the first person.

Today will be an exception to the norm. In fact, what I’ll write today is probably more of a commentary than a traditional review.

KISS rocked The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on Saturday night. It was my 33rd time seeing the band. Those shows have been scattered over three decades, dating back to 1984. And this got me to thinking, “Why do I – and millions of others – keep coming back? What makes KISS so special?” And, while putting on my “rock journalism” hat, I also asked myself after Saturday night’s show if the KISS magic was really still there.

If you’ve been reading my writings over the past two decades, you probably know that I am a KISS fan. And, if you didn’t know, and the fact that I already told you about my 33 ticket stubs wasn’t enough to tip you off, the Paul Stanley-style rose tattoo on my right arm would probably do the trick. So, in offering my thoughts on Saturday’s show, I also give you full disclosure:

I love KISS. I love their songs. I love their concerts. I love their whole vibe. And oddly, the kid who once wore a different  KISS t-shirt to school every day has now, in a small way, gotten to know the band on a somewhat personal level. That came through my work, as I’ve interviewed them enough times over the years that they are now familiar with me and my writings.  When I sometimes see the band backstage before one of their shows, even if it’s just for a quick hello at a meet-and-greet, there are smiles of acknowledgment. On Saturday, Paul Stanley told me it was good to see me. He said the same thing when KISS came to town two years ago. It’s always good to see him, too.

But it ‘s always even better to see the show. And this was again true on Saturday. Because the magic is indeed still there. And it didn’t take long to be reminded why I – and millions of others – keep coming back. Musically speaking, KISS is still a bombastic force. And on this tour, which celebrates the band’s 40th anniversary, they are offering one of their most interesting set-lists in years. Opening the show with “Psycho Circus” was a great move, as its lyrics are perfect for such a position in the set. When Stanley sings “Welcome to the show!” throughout the song, he isn’t kidding. KISS still offers a show like no other. 

“Hide Your Heart,” a minor hit from 1989, was another welcome addition to the 40th anniversary tour. An MTV favorite at the time of its release, it’s probably one of the best songs the band has ever recorded and with the crowd singing along to its fabulous chorus, it served as one of the show’s highlights. And if you were hoping for the classics, they were all there.  The guitars of “Deuce” were grinding and ferocious, the chorus of “Shout It Out Loud” made the crowd euphoric, Gene Simmons was nastier than ever during “War Machine” and guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer helped fill “Hotter Than Hell” with a fine sense of groove. “God of Thunder” churned, “Love Gun” burned and the arrangement of “Black Diamond” offered melodic twists and turns. The band was tight.

Simmons remains a remarkable workhorse on stage. He sings with as much zest as ever and his bass playing – often underrated – is actually quite impressive as you watch his fingers dance about the fretboard. Stanley, the epitome of a frontman, can still have different sections of the crowd competing to win his approval simply by pointing at them. You think that’s an easy thing to do? If so, why would 99-percent of all of the other lead singers in rock be afraid to even try it?  There are few true ringmasters in music. Paul Stanley is one of them.

Though no one ever seems to question Thayer’s and Singer’s fine musicianship, some have questioned why KISS has contined on with “new guys” after the original lineup of the band stopped touring together in 2000. But what they probably don’t realize is that Thayer’s now been playing with the band live for about a dozen years. It’s been about the same for Singer, who also played with the group from 1992-95. In fact, the full original lineup of KISS was together from 1973-1980, and again from 1996 to 2000. Do the math. That’s just 11 out of 40 years. Were those good times with Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter? You bet. But with KISS, it’s always been a good time. And it still is.

KISS is also in a unique situation in that they’ve created a few signature parts of their stage show that fans have come to expect. And while some might wonder why the band sticks with such tried and true showmanship tour after tour, the fact is if they ever dropped them from the show, people would be highly disappointed. Case in point: the first thing I did on Saturday night when I took a look at the all-new stage show was look up to the top of the lighting rig to see if there was a little podium up there with a microphone. There was. “Good,” I thought. “Gene will fly.” Next, I looked towards the soundboard, to see if there was a  mini-stage set up in the middle of the audience. There was. “Good,” I thought. “Paul will fly.”

I’m glad they keep all of the cool stuff, from the fire-breathing to the rising drums to the blizzard of confetti during "Rock and Roll All Nite." 

As someone that’s also seen KISS perform in small clubs on a few occasions, I can also just as easily say that such things really don’t matter to me. I like KISS for the music, not the flash. But there is a reason that it’s important that some of the traditional staples of the KISS show always remain, and again it’s something that makes KISS unique. There is a rite of passage with this band. Though Saturday was my 33^rd KISS show, it was the first for my daughter. Two lifelong friends, each of whom I’ve been going to see KISS with for 30 years, also took their sons for the first time. KISS is well aware that this is happening. At one point during the show, Stanley even asked the crowd how many people had their kids with them, and asked that they hold them up, so the band could see them. He also asked, much earlier in the set, how many were seeing the group for the first time and promised they would have “a night they would never forget.” And though I, as always, had a blast watching and listening to “The Hottest Band In The World,” it was seeing all of those first-timers, both younger and older, that got me my answers to those three questions. In fact, the answer to the third question came from the first two: “Why do I – and millions of others – keep coming back? What makes KISS so special?”

I saw it on their faces. It was evident by the roar of the crowd, song after song.

The magic is still there.

(This commentary, as well as some thoughts on Def Leppard's performance, will also appear in the August 13 issue of The Weekender. Photo courtesy of Jason Reinmiller. http://www.theweekender.com)

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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. Follow Alan's thoughts on music on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/musiconthemenu  

KISS: The Living Legacy

  

 The Starchild steps up

KISS co-founder Paul Stanley talks about his new book,

 the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a KISS without him,

and the band’s current 40th anniversary tour

By ALAN K. STOUT

Weekender Correspondent
July 30, 2014

For Paul Stanley, 2014 has been a very good year. So far, in just the past seven months, he has seen:

 • His band, KISS, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 • His band, KISS, hit the road with fellow hard-rock legends Def Leppard, where they’ve been packing them in every night.

 • His band, KISS, note its 40th anniversary.

 • His autobiography, “Face The Music: A Life Exposed,” become a New York Times best-seller.

 “It’s all terrific,” said Stanley in an interview with the Weekender, adding that he was surprised by the success of the book, which debuted at No. 2 on the prestigious book list.

 “It would be crazy for me to say that I expected that,” he said. “That would be nuts. It’s something that I’m very, very proud of and pleased with, because no matter how much you may hope for a certain response and think that it’s warranted, it doesn’t mean it will happen. Thankfully, the book has connected with people.”

 As the front man of one of the most successful rock bands of all-time, you’d think that Stanley, 62, might have penned a book years ago. When he finally did – and was the last of the original members of KISS to do so – he said the reason for the delay was because for most of his life, he felt that his life, if discussed honestly, didn’t warrant a book, and that he hadn’t found true happiness until his second marriage, when he was already in his fifties. And though the text offers plenty of stories about the rise the triumph of KISS, some of its more interesting passages involve Stanley’s often tormented childhood, when an ear deformity brought him ridicule from classmates and from which he received little support from his parents.

“Some people have said that this was a very brave book to write,” said Stanley, a now happy father of four. “I say, ‘Well, it only would have been brave if it didn’t have a happy ending.’ Nobody wants to write from the middle of misery. It felt terrific to write, and it was cathartic. Not to write the book, but to live it. People ask if it was an emotionally taxing project, and I say, ‘No, living it was the emotionally taxing project.”

One of the more interesting stories discussed in the book took place in 1999, when Stanley held the starring role of the Toronto production of “Phantom of The Opera.” Though he’d had plastic surgery in the ‘80s to help correct his ear deformity, he writes that he still felt a strong connection to the play’s maimed central character. A woman who’d seen his performance and knew nothing about his own prior condition wrote to him, saying she “had the impression I identified with the character in a way she hadn’t seen with other actors.” She then asked him to get involved with AboutFace, an organization that helps children with facial differences cope with their situations. Stunned by her astute observation about him, he reached out to her and got involved with AboutFace.

“It was a huge part of my life, ”Stanley said . “It was certainly a transitional and pivotal time. I was going through what was leading up to a divorce, and things were becoming more clear to me, and interestingly, as that was happening, I was finding another side of myself by being able to come in contact with part of myself that I hadn’t embraced. And by embracing it, I also got to give to other people through my experiences. There was really a clear sense at that point that giving was the best way to get, and you heal by giving to others.”

Though the release of his book was a joyous time for the man KISS fans still affectionately refer to as “The Starchild,” KISS’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was a bit more bumpy. First, KISS had been eligible for induction for 15 years, which was seemed by many rock fans as an absurd snub. Then, when the band finally got the call that they were to be enshrined among rock’s elite, the Hall of Fame said only the group’s original members would be included, despite the fact the band had sold millions of albums and concert tickets without them. The Hall also wanted the original lineup to perform at the ceremonies, even though they hadn’t played together in 14 years. Stanley was vocal about his displeasure with the situation and the entire clique-like induction process, and though he as well as KISS co-founder Gene Simmons and original KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss all showed up for the event and accepted the honor, they did not perform.

Stanley, who remains a bit miffed by the whole thing, says there are still a few other great acts out there for whom induction is long overdue.

“It’s such a sham,” he said. “Year after year, you look at the inductees, and most people on the street scratch their heads about half of them. It’s really a popularity contest for a very small group of people who actually make the decisions. That Deep Purple isn’t in there is absurd. Whether or not I’m a fan of prog-rock, that Yes isn’t in is ridiculous.”

Weekender centerspread - July 30, 2014

Though KISS did a “Farewell Tour” in 2000 with its original members, Stanley and Simmons later decided that KISS should continue and revamped the band with guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer - a lineup which has recorded and toured successfully for more than a decade. Earlier this year, however, Rolling Stone magazine, in a move which many felt was also long overdue, featured KISS on its cover for the very first time, and in that interview, Simmons said he felt he would only tour with the band a few more times. Stanley says he isn’t sure how much longer he’ll continue to take the stage under the bright KISS logo, but does nothing to dispel the sometimes-hinted-at notion that KISS might actually continue on without he and Simmons.

Is there an officially sanctioned KISS tribute act in the works? Such a band - with handpicked successors, a great stage show, and sent out on the road fully endorsed by Simmons and Stanley - might not be a bad idea. Though “Black Diamond: The Official KISS Show,” for example, might play theaters, not arenas and large amphitheaters, it still might be something fans could enjoy for years to come. In listening to Stanley’s words, however, the more likely scenario is that the group will indeed still be called KISS and that expectations will be the same.

“I know KISS won’t end,” he said. “The question is, ‘How long will I be a part of it, or Gene be a part of it?’ I really don’t know. As long as we can. It’s hard work, but it’s incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. In 2000, I thought it was over. It’s 14 years later, and I’m much wiser now and smart enough to know that it will continue. Though the band has never been better, I’m also aware that I’m not the only person that can do what I do. I didn’t invent what I do. I was influenced by a lot of great singers and performers, and there are people out there that are just chomping at the bit to get up on stage, and I believe there is more than one person that can go up there and blow people away. At some point, I won’t be there.”

Currently, Stanley is still there and KISS is in the midst of another successful road jaunt. This time, they’ve hit the tour trail with co-headliners Def Leppard and the two bands have been drawing huge crowds. Stanley says he’s always been a fan of the dynamic English group.

“When I first heard ‘Photograph,’ it stopped me,” he says. “It was really, really great. And over the years, they’ve proven themselves by writing just great, great songs. While I’m getting ready to play, I can hear the audience singing all of their songs. And they’re great guys. You can’t argue with the catalog they’ve created.”

Stanley is also quite satisfied with the catalog that KISS has created since releasing its first album in 1974. And he appreciates the dedicated KISS Army, which keeps coming back, every tour.

“It’s incredible,” he says. “It makes every time I go on stage a victory lap. The race is never over, but it’s great to go out there and carry the flag, 40 years later. Bands don’t stay the same, and things change, but the integrity and core of what we were is what we are. I couldn’t be more proud of the band and I couldn’t be more pleased with what we are. Clearly, there is a legend of this band, and I want to make sure that we live up to it. “

******

Who: KISS, with Def Leppard

Where: The Pavilion at Montage Mountain, 1000 Montage Mountain Rd., Scranton
When: Saturday, August 9 at 7 p.m.
Tickets: $32.50-$159.50
Info: (570) 961-9000

(This story is also the featured cover story in the July 30, 2014 edition of The Weekender. To view that version, click here:
http://www.theweekender.com/news/features/50000604/The-Starchild-steps-up?template=artWKD


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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. Follow Alan's thoughts on music on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/musiconthemenu