Who’s the black private dick
That’s a sex machine to all the chicks?
SHAFT!
Ya damn right!

He’s a complicated man
But no one understands him but his woman
JOHN SHAFT!

Caught Isaac Hayes at the Bowl last night.

He headlined the 50 Years of Stax revue, a show that included Mabel John, Lalah Hathaway (daughter of Donny), William Bell, Eddie Floyd and the one and only Booker T. Jones. They all played a hit or two from the Stax catalog — Green Onions’s got such fuckin’ groove, still, after all these years — and each made you realize that they just don’t make soul music like they used to. Stax, in it’s own way, was every bit as important at Motown in defining our national soundtrack and last night proved it, albeit briefly.

Photo found via Google on afroamericansyndicate.com

Hayes and his band played the final about-an-hour of the set. For Isaac, that meant about five songs. It was weird to see him walk out on stage in his robes. He sort of shuffles, I don’t know if he’s ill or of he’s had a stroke or if he’s just an older guy. And he had some problems with his keyboards (like how to turn it on) and he sort of groped his way through the (five song) set list.

Still, the guy is cool as fuck. He’s the sex machine to all the chicks. What’s weird is, he barely sings and he barely plays. He sort of sing song/talks his way through the lyrics and kinda pecks at the keyboard, relying on the band to keep the grooves.

But the band and the grooves are oh-so-righteous. The tunes were familiar (including his take on Glen Campbell’s By the Time I Get to Phoenix), the rhythms locked in. When he rose to lead the band through the Theme From Shaft and asked about the black private dick, he had us laughing and rocking — the lyrics now both nostalgically funny and right on at the same time.

I think the second concert I ever saw was The Cars at the Universal Amphitheater when it was still an outdoor amphitheater. Must’ve been about ‘77 or ‘78. Boston rocks, yeah …

The opening act for The Cars was a band called Suicide. Now, they’re considered influential and maybe they were then, too. Though I remember the pop fans in the crowd couldn’t wait for them to get off the stage. Now that I think about it, Ric Ocasek was no doubt trying to challenge the audience with something most had not heard before. Most weren’t ready.

When I was younger I saw Bruce Springsteen a lot, too. Haven’t seen him in years, though, not since he toured behind the two simultaneous solo albums he had — Human Touch and Lucky Town.

I was looking at the new disk Springsteen has out. It’s sold in Coffee Bean and who knows were else. I live album. Then started looking at some other stuff and came across a live version of Springsteen doing the Suicide song Dream Baby Dream.

It’s about the last song I would would have expected Springsteen to cover, or better said, the last band I’d have expected him to listen to. Suicide was all synthesizers and effects, while Springsteen to me — whether he’s playing electric or acoustic — is very organic. (Keep researching and you will find that Springsteen was citing Suicide as an influence as far back as his 1984 Nebraska record.)

Springsteen evokes in me feelings of wood and iron, of the elemental earth. Suicide — who I came to appreciate long after I saw them — is almost the opposite: a sound both electronic and almost artificial.

What Springsteen uncovers is the soul of Suicide, the beating heart inside the machine. It’s haunting and beautiful.

There’s nothing particularly new here, except maybe to me. I got an email from Mac’s mom today, told me my eulogy for him was “something else.”

patience and prudence.

Sound and Fury 2006 poster

The hardcore scene is alive and well in Southern California — and across the country — you just have to know where to look.

When I was still with the other site, I wrote an now long-gone review of a Guns Up! / Blacklisted gig in Anaheim. Wish I could remember what I wrote — but the point is hard-core punk continues to attract a passionate kids (and at least one old man) to shows wherever they can find them.

Later this month, the guys at 1917 (here is my last post on these guys) are throwing the second annual Sound and Fury Festival. The story on the fest goes like this:

In late winter of 2006, the three of us had been throwing around ideas and projects, specifically some kind of a big show that was really organized, fun, and had essentially all of our favorite hardcore/punk bands on one show. After we decided it was something that had to happen, it took a week of hard work to get the foundation laid. After months of focused effort and expending free time to the project, Sound And Fury Festival took place on July 28th, 29th, and 30th of 2006. It was a lot of work - and it took a lot of time. But every minute of it was a work of passion. With the energy that we had stirred, we have continued to help book shows, support bands and in general do what we can to help see hardcore in Southern California keep growing and expanding positively.

Todd // Riley // Bob

The festival runs from July 26 through July 29 at Alpine in Ventura. The address is 1954 Goodyear Ave., Ventura, California 93001. The event kicks off with an evening “pre-show” on Thursday the 26th, then runs from 2 pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The final line-up (which bands are playing when) isn’t finalized yet as the bands are still working out their touring schedules. Check the above link or the Sound and Fury myspace page as the event gets closer for more details. Tickets are available at the label’s website.

As of the date on this post, here are the bands scheduled to appear:

2007 Bands

108
www.weare108.com
www.myspace.com/108music

Ability
www.myspace.com/abilityhc

Allegiance
www.myspace.com/allegiancesf

Attitude
www.myspace.com/attitudehc

Bad Reaction
www.myspace.com/badreaction

Bitter End
www.myspace.com/bitterend

Blacklisted
www.myspace.com/blacklisted

Bracewar

www.myspace.com/bracewar

Ceremony
www.myspace.com/ceremony

Cold World
www.myspace.com/thecoldworld

Crime in Stereo
www.myspace.com/crimeinstereo

Cruel Hand
www.myspace.com/cruelhand

Down To Nothing
www.myspace.com/downtonothing

Go It Alone
www.legitimatebros.com

Harder The Fight
www.myspace.com/harderthefight

Have Heart
www.myspace.com/haveheart

Hour of the Wolf

www.myspace.com/hourofthewolfaz

I Rise
www.myspace.com/irisehc

In Stride
www.myspace.com/instride

Internal Affairs
www.myspace.com/internalxaffairs

Iron Age
www.myspace.com/ironagetexas

Lion Of Judah
www.howsyouredge.com/loj

Living Hell
www.myspace.com/livinghellhc

Meltdown
www.myspace.com/meltdownisdestroying

Mind Eraser
www.painkillerrecords.com

The Mongoloids

www.myspace.com/mongoloidsnj

Never Healed
www.myspace.com/neverhealedoakland

No Turning Back
www.myspace.com/noturningbackhardcore

Outbreak
www.myspace.com/outbreakhc

Permanent
www.myspace.com/permanent

Pulling Teeth
www.myspace.com/pullingteethmd

Retaliate
www.myspace.com/oxnardretaliate

Rise And Fall
www.myspace.com/riseandfall13

Said Radio
www.myspace.com/saidradio

Scapegoat

www.myspace.com/scapegoatpowerviolence

Shipwreck
www.myspace.com/shipwreckmv

Shook Ones
www.myspace.com/shookones

Sinking Ships
www.myspace.com/sinkingships

Soul Control
www.myspace.com/soulcontrolhc

Snake Eyes
www.myspace.com/snakeeyes

Step Forward
www.painkillerrecords.com

Tarpit
www.myspace.com/tarpit

The First Step
http://www.myspace.com/thefirststep
www.thejourneyofathousandmiles.com

Trash Talk
www.myspace.com/trashtalkfu

Verse
www.myspace.com/verse

Violation
www.myspace.com/violationhc

War Hungry
www.myspace.com/whwb

Matt Snelling of Beat magazine in Australia got to talking with Duff about the new Velvet Revolver record.

Naturally, he brought up Axl and the whole “what happened with Guns ‘n’ Roses thing, asking whether [Duff] ever wishes that he had the same understanding of personal problems that individuals struggle with a little earlier so that maybe other, more well-documented estrangements (i.e. GUNS N’ ROSES singer Axl Rose), could have possibly been avoided:

Said Duff:

“Umm, I know what you’re getting at. I just think that that experience is where I earned my understanding, you know? I mean I was fucked up then, and so a lot of all that shit kind of fed each other. The machine was just so big. There was no way out, and there were just so many yes-men, and there’s a myriad of reasons. Mostly it’s because it was out of control. I know I self-medicated my way through the entire ‘Use Your Illusion’ tours. It wasn’t til it was done did I know I had a health problem, and I got sober. That’s where I got a lot of experience in dealing with people and strange situations — I got a crash course from ‘86 through ‘93, an expert education. There was a time where if it were up to me, I would have salvaged things, and even Slash tried many times. We all wanted to save it, it’s not like we all walked up one day and said ‘fuck you!’

“You see, he (Axl) was a singer in this meteoric rock band that sort of captured the imagination and hit some sort of nerve with a whole reputation, and while every member of than band was important to making that happen, he was the singer. The focal point. I know that more yes-men came his way, and I think that soon your sense of reality gets a little eschewed, and that the real friends you have either change on you or those other people close them out. I can’t speak for Axl now, and I haven’t hung out with him for a real long time now, but a lot of this happened to me… but I wasn’t the singer. So I was able to escape it. So yeah, it’s sad, man.”

What scares me is that I understand what he’s saying.

HT to Blabbermouth

THIS IS TOM JONES DVD

MENU DISC 1

Original Air Date: FEBRUARY 7, 1969

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

Help Yourself – Tom Jones

Departure; Ride My See-Saw – The Moody Blues

Comedy Sketch – Richard Pryor

Those Were the Days – Mary Hopkin

Comedy Spot – Peter Sellers

The Concert: Kansas City — Tom Jones

Danny Boy – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: APRIL 18, 1969

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

Hello Young Lovers – Tom Jones

Comedy Spot – Pat Paulsen

Pinball Wizard – The Who

The Rose – Tom Jones

The Concert: Turn on Your Lovelight; Shake – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: SEPTEMBER 25, 1970

Ain’t That Good News – Tom Jones

I (Who Have Nothing) – Tom Jones

What’s New Pussycat? – Tom Jones

The Look of Love – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach

What the World Needs Now Is Love – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach

Comedy Spot – The Ace Trucking Company

Dramatic Sketch – Anne Bancroft

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – Tom Jones with Burt Bacharach and Big Jim Sullivan

Comedy Sketch – Anne Bancroft with Tom Jones

The Concert (medley): I’ll Never Fall in Love Again/Green, Green Grass of Home/Love Me Tonight/ It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

*Special Bonus Material: ABC Network promo for the series Premiere, 2/7/1969

DISC 2

Original Air Date: DECEMBER 4, 1969

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

You Came a Long Way From St. Louis – Tom Jones (Glen Campbell intro)

Comedy Sketches – The Committee

Little Girl Blue – Janis Joplin

Comedy Sketch – The Committee with Tom Jones

Raise Your Hand – Janis Joplin with Tom Jones

The Concert: In the Midnight Hour; Danny Boy – Tom Jones

Land of 1000 Dances – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: FEBRUARY 19, 1970

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

We Can Work It Out – Tom Jones (Leslie Uggams intro)

Delta Lady – Joe Cocker and the Grease Band with Tom Jones

Angel Eyes – Tom Jones with Johnnie Spence

The Letter – Joe Cocker and the Grease Band

Somewhere – Tom Jones with Leslie Uggams

The Concert: She Loves Me – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: NOVEMBER 27, 1969

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ – Tom Jones

Comedy Sketch — The Ace Trucking Company with Tom Jones

Lucille — Little Richard

Medley: Jenny, Jenny/Rip It Up/Send Me Some Lovin’/Good Golly, Miss Molly — Little Richard with Tom Jones

Comedy Sketch — The Ace Trucking Company

The Concert: I’m Coming Home — Tom Jones

DISC 3

Original Air Date: APRIL 25, 1969

It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones

Medley: For Once in My Life/Thank You Love/For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder

Comedy Sketch – Pat Paulsen

Medley: A Place in the Sun/Uptight (Everything’s Alright)/It’s Not Unusual/Nothing’s Too Good For My Baby/Uptight (Everything’s Alright) – Stevie Wonder with Tom Jones

The Concert: Lucille – Tom Jones

Original Air Date: OCTOBER 9, 1970

Ain’t That Good News — Tom Jones

I Say a Little Prayer – Aretha Franklin

Comedy Sketch – The Ace Trucking Company

Comedy Sketch – Bob Hope

Medley: It’s Not Unusual/See Saw/Spirit in the Dark – Aretha Franklin with Tom Jones

Comedy Sketches – The Ace Trucking Company

The Party’s Over – Aretha Franklin with Tom Jones

The Concert: Lodi – Tom Jones

*SPECIAL BONUS MATERIAL: This Is Tom Jones interview, videotaped in Los Angeles, February 11, 2007

Tom in his prime? Now that’s some ass I’d gladly concede a Scrabble game to!

I don’t usually link to LAObserved, but this story is too important and they had it before I did:

Al Langer, deli patriarch was 94

The founder of Langer’s Deli died Sunday in Agoura from complications of being 94 years old. He is survived by his son Norm Langer, daughter Laurie Bernie and grandchildren.

DL: “died … from complications of being 94 years old” is great!

Pfizer has released a penis meter.

… good erections are an excellent indicator of a man’s physical wellbeing, and that a drop-off in that area can be an early warning sign of everything from diabetes to hypertension to heart disease. …

… Seeking to contextualize this for the important East Asian market, the Singapore Men’s Health Society has provided some (possibly) helpful food analogies. Level 1 is tofu, that tasteless bean curd stuff; Level 2 is an unpeeled banana; for Level 3, the banana gets peeled; and the top level is a cucumber. Who knew erectile dysfunction could be so tasty? …

DL: this was called a “peter meter” in the 70s and you could buy it at Spencer Gifts.
how many times was “penis” used when i was gone? seems like i could buy another airline ticket if i had a dollar for every “blue” word used around here …

good job, boys.

Oh my god! It’s pretty rare, if ever, that you get to see one of your heroes in the flesh. I’ve been lucky, and have seen (and met) a few: Bruce Springsteen (seen) Keith Richards (both), and lots of everyday-people that aren’t famous that are my heroes b/c of the un-famous heroic things they do every day. Mostly as you get older, your heroes are either a) already dead or b) no longer your heroes b/c the things that made them your heroes in the first place aren’t so cool as you grow up. But the Wagonmaster, well, he’s something else. I almost cried. Seriously. I never thought I’d see Porter Wagoner sing “Rubber Room,” or “The Cold Hard Facts of Life.” But I did! He missed some of the words to “Committed to Parkview” and joked about it; Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives were indeed the perfect compadres to him - and on their own -bluegrass harmonies that sparkle like no other - what a show to remember. And Porter? Bedecked in a bluish-purple Nudie suit, the “PORTER WAGONER” glitter guitar strap, all 6+ feet of him, took over the pulpit as the faithful gathered round. And worship we did!

PS. one thing - don’t eat at Safari Sam’s. the food takes 2 hours to get to you, and there’s something irreverent about eating while watching Porter Wagoner. I couldn’t.