Rock and Roll Report Blitz: The Oohlas

The Oohlas play sweet psychedelic pop that penetrates your synapses and sticks in your brain for days. This trio from LA have a knack for matching sweet, poppy melodies with full-bore psychedelic music beds that are addictive of which Gone is a prime example. Small Parts has a nice driving beat which is driven along nicely by the vocals of Olivia Stone and TV Dinner is trippy in a nice way.

All these songs can be heard on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/theoohlas I highly recommend listening to their songs with headphones. It adds to the experience considerably. I hope to catch them next month when they hit town.

Check out this video for Octopus:

Later.

Mark

Rock and Roll Report Blitz: Hailer

Is it stereotypical to say that Aussies rock? Continuing in the footsteps of the Easybeats, AC/DC, You Am I and Jet, Hailer are an Australian band who rock with a force that compels you unequivocally to crank up that volume knob and nod your head in easy reverence. Sounding like Ian Astbury after a night of heavy Tequila drinking, All I Wanted is a fantastic rock and roll blast that blew me out of the water as soon as I heard it. The rest of the songs posted to their MySpace page are all demos although they sound pretty polished to me. I am anxiously awaiting their new record. My speakers need a good workout.

Here is the video for All I Wanted:

Later

Mark

3 Amigos Radio Playlist for June 25, 2007 on CKUT FM

Another month, another 3 Amigos rock and roll radio spectacular on CKUT FM here in Montreal. While I continued my 6 month Rock and Roll Report Radio review, Armitage Shanks was playing some amazing UK stuff including a very cool new track from The Twang and Doug Ford pumped out some brand new Detroit Cobras, TV on the Radio and Kings of Leon. Here is what we played:

Artist - Album - Song

1. Apples in Stereo - New Magnetic Air - Can You Feel It?
2. The Capes - Taste - Regional Heats
3. The Morning Stars - You Can’t Change the World - Don’t Waste Time
4. The 88 - Over & Over - You Belong to Me
5. The Farm - True Brit Compilation - Groovy Train
6. The Shamen - True Brit - ProGen (Move Any Mountain)
7. Inspiral Carpets - True Brit - This Is How It Feels to be Lonely
8. The Twang - Love It When I Feel Like This - Wide Awake
9. The Detroit Cobras - Tied and True - Nothing But a Heart Ache
10. TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain - Province
11. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times - On Call

drastic plastic 128kbps Podcast (Link good for one week from date of broadcast)

And here is the Drastic Plastic Program schedule for the month of July, 2007:

• July 2 - Doug Ford
• July 9 - Armitage Shanks
• July 16 - Rock and Roll Report Radio
• July 23 - Armitage Shanks
• July 30 - 3 Amigos

Catch you next month. Thanks for listening!

Later

Mark

Rock and Roll Report Blitz: The Soft Explosions

New York’s The Soft Explosions are another one of those bands that ooze rock and roll cool. Weapons of Love has that subtle, glam groove that locks you in until the end while your ears are bombarded to that psychedelic, fuzzed-out guitar freakout that you know will be amazing live. Man in the Sky and Funky Black Cat remind me a bit of a ramped up T-Rex while Pretty Beat whips out the acoustic for a change of pace.

Very cool stuff and definitely worth a listen. Check out their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/softexplosions and check them out for yourself.

Here’s the video for Man in the Sky:

Later

Mark

Mods and Rockers Film Festival 2007

The 8th annual Mods and Rockers Film Festival will take place July 13 - August 1, 2007 at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. Film highlites include the rarely screened What’s Happening! The Beatles in the USA, acid comedy Skidoo, Led Zeppelin Live at the Royal Albert Hall, Monterey Pop (celebrating its 40th anniversary), Don’t Look Back and more. Plus there will be a huge, free open-air concert including a cover band that will recreate the sites and sounds of some of the best from Monterey Pop.

Always a good time so if you are in LA in July you should try and check it out. All the details are at the Mods and Rockers website at http://www.modsandrockers.com/.

Later.

Mark

The Rock and Roll Report Chats with Jeremy Morris of Jam Records

Jeremy Morris is a musician, independent record label owner and a genuinely nice guy. He was kind enough to answer some questions about running a record label, the future of music and maintaining your faith in the sometimes amoral world of rock and roll.

The Rock and Roll Report: How did you get involved in the music field?

Jeremy Morris: I grew up in it. My father is a professional musician to this day. So I had my first band at age 13 and was playing out professionally at a very young age. My father really helped me alot to get the ball rolling.

RRR: Who are your musical heroes and inspirations

JM: For me it really started with the Beatles and Stones. I was totally into their music, but in the later years I would discover a love for a lot of progressive and electronic music too! Groups like Yes, Genesis, Kayak, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, Camel, Barclay James Harvest, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Steve Hillage, Amazing Blondel, Gordon Giltrap, Anthony Phillips, Steve Hackett, Ashra, etc…These bands would carry on where the Beatles left off.

RRR: Tell me a bit about the label. How long its been going, what the mission of it is and what kind of music does Jam Recordings release?

JM: The label went public with official releases in 1984. We pressed up 6000 copies for my first album. A bit ambitious for the time when indie labels were not so common. The mission of the label has always been to put out good music and bring happiness to many people. The styles range from rock, progressive, power pop, electronic, Christian, instrumental, ambient, etc.. If it’s good and I love it, then I will probably release it. I don’t go by what is popular, I go by what I like.

RRR: What kind of distribution does Jam Recordings have? Are you playing in the digital space as well and how?

JM: Jam has world wide distribution with many small indie outlets all over the globe. I find the little guys to be more honest by experience, (While the big boys may move more units, they are less likely to pay you…sad but true) I am still a firm believer in the traditional cd and lp and will continue with that format as long as people want it. I have never downloaded a song. I am not into that at all. I want the full package, the artwork, the lyrics, the information. To me this whole downloading thing is the McDonalds land of fast food music! … and it really hurting the concept of “The album”—A collection of songs that is meant to be listened to as a complete experience.

RRR: With all the doom and gloom in the music industry these days about slumping sales, how do you compete or at least break even in this cut throat world?

JM: I carry on by faith. Of course, I think the industry has always been difficult from day one. I am on a mission to keep making and providing good music because I was made to do that. God has always taken care of me. Somehow it all works out, even though it defies logic, God will provide. The orders come in and I ship out the music. It’s in His hands.

RRR: Your faith is very important to you. I remember the first time I heard “What God Wants” (fantastic song by the way!) I thought it was some kind of metaphor for something else (hey, I’m not too swift!) but it didn’t take me long to realize that the song was about your faith. How do you reconcile your faith with the sometimes crazy, immoral world of rock and roll?

JM: I am glad you like the song! Thanks. I have been criticized for many years by the religious people for being a rock musician. Playing this music has never been a problem for me because I don’t associate it with immorality. People like to blame music for our cultures problems ( but the music is really a mirror of our culture) I have played rock music in bars since I was 15 years old. I never got into drugs, drinking, smoking , or any of that. To me that was of no interest at all. I was there for the music, not the party.

RRR: You have been referred to as one of the hardest working men in rock and roll and you even have a tribute album out dedicated to your music. Why do you do what you do?

JM: I have a conviction that I was born to do this. I have been passionate about music all my life. I would be forsaking my calling if I didn’t do music. One must be true to who they really are.

RRR: The music industry has evolved considerably in the last few years. All this Web 2.0 technology like MySpace and YouTube are giving indie artists better tools to get their music out there to potential fans. What are your thoughts on these developments? How are you as an artist and a record label owner taking advantage of these technologies?

JM: I am a big fan of both MySpace and YouTube. I think it’s a wonderful networking tool for both musicians and music fans. I am working strong on both of these fronts and find that these developments are helping truly independents reach a greater audience than ever before. I have alot of music videos up on YouTube for example. The response has been great!

RRR: What are your near term and long term plans for Jam Records and your music?

JM: I plan to continue releasing as much music on the label as I can. (Both my own and other artists as well) The label is about to release a 3 cd charity set for Hurricane Katrina victims called “Sweet Relief”. The cd has 74 bands from 12 countries around the world. The profits from the release will go to help the poor and the homeless. I am very excited about this project.

I also have a 5 cd career spanning Jeremy Box set coming soon…. 5 cds of original recordings from 1976–2005 called “SONLIGHT” They are also many other projects in the pipeline. I am certainly not bored. I will do as much as I can while I am still here. The best is yet to come.

You can visit the Jam Recording website by going to http://www.jamrecordings.com/ or listen to his music at his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/jeremyamorris

Later.

Mark

Rock and Roll Report Blitz: Bang Sugar Bang

Equal parts sassy, sexy, sleazy and always catchy, I discovered Bang Sugar Bang through a Greatest Hits package I received from Italian record label Nicotine Records a few years back and was instantly hooked. With a new album Victory Gin out any day now, have a listen to the tunes posted on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/bangsugarbang for a perfect encapsulation of what the band is all about. From the call and response of Follow the Zombies to the biting satire of That’s OK Civil Rights and one of my favourites in The Machine Gun Song (we can all sympathize with that tune at one point or other!) every song spits out rock and roll.

Bang Sugar Bang are such a great time and the alternating vocals of ultra-sexy Cooper Gillespie and Matt Southwell fit together so well that this band is made to be played loud and proud. More great rock and roll from Lost Angeles.

Here’s a video shot by their drunken friend for your viewing pleasure:

Later.

Mark

Cover Story - “Nashville Skyline” by Elliott Landy

By Michael Goldstein

Subject - “Bob Dylan, at his Byrdcliff Home”, an Elliott Landy photo used on the cover of “Nashville Skyline”, a recording released in April, 1969 on Columbia Records.

To put it simply – everyone who was part of “the 60’s generation” knows this photograph. So much so that, in order to provide visitors to their “Summer of Love – Art of the Psychedelic Era” exhibition (on display thru 9/16/07), the Whitney Museum of American Art chose this image as the principal illustration for the fold-out handout given to attendees during the show.

And why not? To many, this photo of Bob Dylan at his home in Woodstock represents the mood of the era where, as Elliott puts it, “it reflects the love we were all seeking to find through making the world a better place”. Dylan certainly looks happy at home, don’t you think, and yet he was trying hard to distance himself from the world’s troubles and just focus on his family and his music.

Nashville Skyline, which featured the timeless “Lay Lady Lay”, “I Threw It All Away” and a host of Dylan-penned classics – including a duet with Johnny Cash called “Girl From The North Country”, was the 1969 follow-up to John Wesley Harding and an out-and-out country/country-rock album. When you first heard it, you weren’t 100% certain that it was Dylan singing, as he had taken on a country crooner’s vocal stylings, but once you heard the words and music, Dylan’s magic took you over and made you a country-rock fan. The record spawned three hit singles and reached #3 on the U.S. record charts. It was also his fourth #1 album in the U.K..

After Elliott’s previous photos of Dylan and The Band had solidified his relationship with the artists and their management/record label, he moved to Woodstock permanently in 1968 and, in early 1969, he was hired to take a picture for the back cover of the soon-to-be-released Dylan album, titled Nashville Skyline. Here now, in the words of photographer Elliott Landy, we learn how this image went from the back cover to the forefront of our consciousness (and the front cover of the record!)…

In the words of photographer Elliott Landy –

“He had the front cover already picked out – a picture of the skyline of Nashville, where he had recorded the album. We didn’t know what to do – we had no concepts when we started. We met and he suggested that we take a picture in front of the bakery in Woodstock with his son Jesse and two local Woodstock people. The brown leather jacket he was wearing was the same one he had worn for the covers of John Wesley Harding and Blonde on Blonde.

He was still uncomfortable being photographed and, therefore, I was uncomfortable photographing him, but we stayed with it. We took some pictures at the bakery and then went to my house and hung out…The same day, we took some photographs outside my house. He had his glasses on, but there wasn’t any discussion about ‘I don’t want to have the glasses on the album’ or anything like that. We were just easy – it was very casual. He wanted some pictures, we took them, and neither of us conceptualized it. I’m spontaneous when I work, and so is he. An Art Director might have said ‘Take the glasses off’, but neither he nor I thought about it. However people present themselves is how I photograph them – I don’t judge it.

Then on another afternoon I went over to his place. As we left the house, he grabbed a hat and asked ‘Do you think we could use this?’ I had no idea if it would be good or not, so I told him ‘take it and we’ll see.’ We walked around through the woods behind his house looking for a good spot. It had just been raining, we had boots on, and he was carrying this hat.

He paused for a moment – apparently inspired – and said ‘What about taking one from down there?’ pointing to the ground. As I started kneeling I saw that it was muddy, but I kept going. ‘Do you think that I should wear this?’ he asked, starting to put on his hat, smiling because it was kind of a goof, and he was having fun visualizing himself in this silly-looking traditional hat. ‘I don’t know’ I said as I snapped the shutter. It all happened so fast. If I had any resistance in me, I would have missed the photograph that became the front cover. It’s best to be open to life.

I brought the picture to CBS Records and told them that Dylan wanted this as the new cover image and that he didn’t want any writing on the cover – no names, logos or other sales tools. This was Bob’s way of saying that his music was not created as a commercial pursuit. Despite his wishes, CBS put their logo in the upper left-hand corner and, although small and seemingly insignificant, this ruins the three-dimensionality of the image (try this – while looking at the record cover, cover up the logo, then uncover it and cover it up again. The image will appear to go from two dimensions to three and then back).

During those days in Woodstock, he was really open and in a good mood. It was sunny out and we just followed our instincts. It was the first picture of him smiling and, in my opinion, it reflects the inner spirit, the loving essence of the man behind all of the inspiring music he has given us. Someone told me that the reason people like it so much is that it makes them happy. Every review of the album mentioned his smile on the cover…This was a magical picture for all of us. It certainly assured my reputation as a photographer.”

(Text excerpted from his book “Woodstock Vision”, copyright 1994 Elliott Landy). Purchase this book from Elliott at http://www.landyvision.com/books.html

About Elliott Landy –

Elliott Landy, born in 1942, began photographing the anti-Vietnam war movement and the underground music culture in New York City in 1967. He photographed many of the underground rock and roll superstars, both backstage and onstage, from 1967 to 69.

His images of Bob Dylan and The Band, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Joan Baez, Van Morrison, Richie Havens, and many others documented the music scene during that classic rock and roll period which culminated with the 1969 Woodstock Festival, of which he was the official photographer.

After that, Elliott moved on to other inspirations and art forms, photographing his own children and travels, creating impressionist flower photographs and doing motion and kaleidoscopic photography in both still and film formats.

His photographs have been published worldwide for many years in all print mediums including covers of Rolling Stone, Life, the Saturday Evening Post, etc. and album covers, calendars, photographic book collections, etc.

He has published “Woodstock Vision, The Spirit of A Generation”, in book and CD-ROM format, and authored the book “Woodstock 69, The First Festival”.

Elliott Landy trivia – “curiously, because our names are anagrams of each other – DYLAN/LANDY – many people thought I didn’t exist – that I was Dylan under an alias!”

To see all of Elliott’s works in the RockPoP Gallery collection, please click on the following link:

http://rockpopgallery.easystorecreator.com/items/elliott-landy/list.htm?1=1

About “Cover Stories” - Our weekly series will give you, the music and art fan, a look at “the making of” the illustrations, photographs and designs of many of the most-recognized and influential images that have served to package and promote your all-time-favorite recordings.

Every Friday at RockPop Gallery and syndicated on The Rock and Roll Report on the following Monday, we’ll meet the artists, designers and photographers who produced these works of art and learn what motivated them, what processes they used, how they collaborated (or fought) with the musical acts, their management, their labels, etc. - all of the things that influenced the final product you saw then and still see today.

We hope that you enjoy these looks behind the scenes of the music-related art business and that you’ll share your stories with us and fellow fans about what role these works of art - and the music they covered - played in your lives.

Rock and Roll Report Radio’s 6 Month Review Continues Tonight

I will be continuing my 6 month review of Rock and Roll Report Radio that I started last week as part of the 3 Amigos radio spectacular. Tune in tonight from 10:00 - 11:00 PM EST on CKUT FM for all the shits and giggles.

Later.

Mark

The Undiscovered Band Contest

The Undiscovered Band Contest will offer a band a chance to win a record contract with INgrooves along with featured placement on Saki Mobile, the service that allows devoted followers to interact with their favorite artists, discover new music, and access exclusive content. Finalists and winners will also have the opportunity to receive prizes, featured endorsements and exposure to millions of music fans across the globe! To participate, visit www.UndiscoveredBandContest.com and follow the instructions to register your band.

Later.

Mark

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