Sunday, 5 February 2017

                                                                        TRUMP

                                                                              
Like Frankenstein Monster jolted electrically into activity.  Ive  been Trumped.

LIVE ROCK CRITIC  51  THE TRUMP INAUGURATION  GALA, LIVE ON TV
                                                                          

Three doors down guitar player San Fransisco sound Quick Silver Messenger service guitar. Really good. I am surprised that I have never seen or heard of them.

The Donald is standing with Melania and it looks like hes going to sing. No. First Trump is going to dance to some horrible schmaltzy orchestral arrangement.  Clutching Melaniaès back for balance Trump jerked and wobbled back and forth on his tiny unstable feet. His  huge girth balanced as if on a pin he weaved and paced to a rhythm which defied the music.             


Donald yakked at Melania fawningly making gloating faces.  Fawning over himself of course. He points in an arc at the audience as if to magnanimously include them in the attention. Melanias facial expression and body language are those of someone dancing with a giant turd.
                                          

I think I see Trump telling Melania to smile. Trump mouths praise and waves and thumbs ups. His giant belly wobbles as he effeminately hand dances.                


From inside her snuggli  inspired fashion outfit Melania looks disapproving, is DT singing.  

Live Rock Critic back to life like Trump: A bloated corpse drowned in swamp water. Puffed to bursting. Corpulently engorged and dressed up and trotted out and ran for President of the United States and won. Here I am again too.
                                                                           



Wednesday, 27 April 2016

LIVE ROCK CRITIC: LIVE ROCK CRITIC 50

LIVE ROCK CRITIC: LIVE ROCK CRITIC 50:                                                           LIVE  ROCK  CRITIC  50                 DEAD  :  PRINCE I have always found Pr...

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 50


                                                          LIVE  ROCK  CRITIC  50




                DEAD  :  PRINCE



I have always found Prince to be a weak performer.
His undistinguished voice falsetto or normal is annoying at best. Prince did not have a real Rock voice.

 David Bowie who died recently, leaving a genuine treasure and a valuable legacy. David bowie reinvented himself with originality and style.

Prince was pompous and bizarre without being genuinely original. The costumes and the over ornamented guitars and symbols were tacky to my sense of art. I have a terrible stereotypical idea of what a Prince might look like.

Prince's vocal performance fails to hit the mark often off key and not tonally correct, always shrill and weak. There may be exceptions to the flawed vocals I have heard, I have not listened to a lot of Prince's music. many Prince tunes which I have listened to, are not very tuneful. Beloved Prince tunes repeatedly since his death a few days ago sound like noise to me, or heaped together tracks upon tracks of dissonance.

I have seen only a little of Prince piano. I have been shown and told about how great a guitarist Prince is. He was being compared to Jimmy Hendrix!  How absolutely Ridiculous!  Prince guitar solos are short weak and impotent. To me Prince is never enthralling, amazing, transporting or anything but short weak and impotent.  

The television interviewer gushed "He was so private that it added to his mystique. He had a business sense".

Oh yeah.     







Thursday, 3 December 2015

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 49

                                          LIVE ROCK CRITIC  49

                                                         

"Hemingway could write drunk, so can I" Drunky Cocamo. 

Cold Play is releasing a new album  " A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS".  Cold Play is one of those bands whose popularity amazes me. Of course i am from Sooke BC, land of the easily amazed. I heard part of the new very popular single "Adventure of a Lifetime". Cold Play has gone even more 1910 Fruitgum Company. The front man jumps and bounces around in what I can only think of as ridiculous unskilled white guy dancing. Some people think its cool, call it "quirky".I wonder if there is an extremely youthful and tasteless audience? Is it possible that there are people who just can't tell the difference between good music and highly promoted music.



Sunday, 29 November 2015

                                         LIVE ROCK CRITIC   48


                                                        




Stephen Colbert on Late Night is not quite as funny as he used to be
with the most terrible band, Staying Human, Jean Baptiste's band.

Voltek joined Jean and the band adding an incomprehensible layer of mystification, I wonder what they were doing. Was this some "in" joke that I don't know about? 

Boots Cure. OK. This is an artsy dischordinate start which will morph and meld into melody. No. That did not happen. Same metallic dischordinate electronic annoying repetitive with bad sounds mumbling I am so cool. No. Godawful. 


Celo Green performed with Staying Human. Celo is a good example of a multi voiced artist who can  belt out tunes right on key. 

I viewed a number of Stephen Colbert's Late |Night shows and one of the funniest moments was the look on Bill Mahr's face when he heard Staying Human.

Forty or so Late Nights in the DVR, but I did not find that the episodes were very entertaining. At the beginning of each program and at around the twenty five minute mark Stephen Colbert will deliver some John Stewart style Political Satire. Trevor Noah on the new Daily Show is every bit as good as Colbert, and maybe even John Stewart. Trevor Noah does the best voice impersonations. 

Public Image Ltd. The lead shouter is ridiculous. Drums driving hard. Nice sparky guitar. I can't tell, the red with bookmarked gold flame grain looks just like a Les Paul Gibson guitar. Very symphonic very much in tune. Could the guitar be a Paul Reed Smith. 

I do not like the movie star conversations which go on forever it seems. Celebrities talk with Steve about nothing. I will continue to record Late Night with Stephen Colbert. Will I watch the episodes?


Live Rock Critic 48 with Drunky Cocamo, official Live Rock Critic

First of all, I did not host Stephen Harper and Patris Magnus at Drunkycocomovision, nor was the performance which they created at Drunkycocomovision studios in any way authorized. They broke in. 

Saturday Night Live is traditionally a source of Live Rock Critic material. The critic would view live performance on SNL and post.
Donald Trump is performing as host tonight. What a perfect opportunity as another bombastic loudmouthed extrovert who thinks he knows everything does his usual thing, spouting off.

I would like to concentrate on Donald Trump dancing and singing as Drake would. It is no secret that I think that Drake is a Dork. Donald dances well, very fluid, very old school white guy, just like Drake. It just dawned on me, that is why Drake is so popular in Canada. A white in black's clothing. He has a fashion line. 

University of British Columbia students out wimped and out white-  guyed both Donald and Drake. ( Really, you should go to youtube and try to find the video which the geeks on CBC played and replayed.The two wimpy white guys in the white sweaters, pathetic. A very large number of UBC students posted videos where they  mimed and minced their way through " ...... my cell phone". Cannot anyone come up with a cooler name for mobile phones than the ancient "cell phone"?  

 

Sunday, 15 November 2015

Live Rock Critic 47

                                         LIVE  ROCK  CRITIC     47
                                           




https://www.youtube.com/user/DRUNKYCOCOMOVISION  

Sorry, the link wouldn't work, here is the video. 
                                        

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 46


LIVE ROCK CRITIC   46 

                                                                                 

 Hello, this is Russ Russ from Keith Martain Mpy channel on you-tube. I am a Collard Creation. (Also a channel).  There, that over with just call me Russ.

Russ says:  Conrad Black                                I would like to talk to you about tuning stringed instruments.
              Can come back,                                The most common would be guitar but electric guitar and 
                 Bye the Bye,                                   bass is the primary focus of this post.
                    So can I.                                      

Before the advent of electronic tuners tuning with tuning forks, pitch pipes and keyboards was difficult. Lindon Collard the previous Live Rock Critic recalled being required to sound an accurate tuning note on harmonica in live performance situations.

There are many digital electronic tuners available today. I still use an old Korg GT20 tuner which was inexpensive.  

I have found that the warmth of fingers and stretching caused by fingering and picking will lengthen strings just slightly and lower pitch so it is not correct to A 440 cps. 

The use of lowered tunings has always perplexed me as I think that not tuning to concert pitch reduces "sparkle" and will train the ear other than to perfect pitch.

If you find yourself always slinging the guitar with your finger tips or bending a little to hear sound which is right on, your pitch is probably low.

When I am tuning I allow a slightly higher pitch than indicated, a just flashing red on the Korg GT  20. I am not sure exactly how other electronic tuners could be used, but tuning slightly high and then checking the tuning on the guitar after a period of play could determine whether or not the process was effective or desirable.

If you are interested click on my video link just below.
                               












Monday, 17 August 2015

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 45

                                                                                   


 LIVE ROCK CRITIC   45   

Wednesday, 8 October 2014


                                      






                                      LIVE ROCK CRITIC 44  CONCLUSION                                      

                                                                      
                                                                            

                                           

July 27 2014  G EASY performed on Seth Myer’s Show. I have to wade such a pool of crap doing these reviews. I think that Rap is always Crap. White Rap reaches a new low with G-Easy. He starts out in a very square suit and tie very G.Q. white. G     quickly changes to a hip white guy outfit. I have not ever seen a more insipid and flaccid Rap.
                                                                                Backing tracks with the now standard over use of vocal master are the predominant characteristic of this performance. G has mastered all the Rap poseur moves but as he is a white guy who can not dance or cadence…..

The black Rapper is not prep school cool but he soon drops to a G level. The band unenthusiastically tapped drum and fingered key board to complete the bland stumbling performance of G Easy.


Big Data and Joy Wave: I would guess that Big Data is the dude with the beard. Joy Wave is definitely a 1910 fruit gum company contender but they performed enthusiastically

“Dangerous” is the number one tune on alternative radio! I watched carefully and I could see no key board or guitar although I could hear them, this always makes me suspect backing tracks.  The amateurish and uncoordinated dancers seemed to be unrehearsed.  To be fair the bassist and drummer are steady.



                                                                           


  Rixton performed on Seth Meyers. Obviously bald lead singer, terrible wig.









Rixton does play instruments to perform. Not bad musicianship, though it is very repetitious, not much range of rhythm or tonality.


                                                                               






August 7th 2014 Chase Rice performed “Ready Set Roll”. Country with a backing track and a cap on backwards. Wow, what a dude. Confused fast country, there were a few good guitar licks from the gold guitar dude, but then he got confused too.



                                                                              




                                      

I have seen enough bits of Seth Myers to be avoiding them soon forever. Only a few more lame bands, maybe a good one will come along.
The 8 G band has acquired a female guitarist who was quite quirkily ok.

Stand of Oaks, what do you know not bad compared to most of Seth’s bands. Pretty good musicianship, nice tune and the vocal was ok.  The piano man has a real piano and does a pretty good job of providing a roadbed for the song. The audience liked them.



                                                                             






Counting Crows performed from their new album “Somewhere Under Wonderland”. Things are looking up over looking the bad wig on the singer.
                                                                       
The band really pumps, many interesting and relevant musical digressions. The performance is a bit ragged at times but it is live and the Crow counters get back on track.  Not to much repetition vocally or musically. The guitar breaks are as good as any I have heard for awhile.

The audience really liked the performance, hooting and cheering.

On September 9th 2014 Banks performed. Trying to be quirky Banks is 
Simply ridiculous. The ensemble does not make music, just rhythmic sound.  The backing track is shameless at times and is also ridiculous. Now she is singing shrill as Seth.

                                                                               
Australian Vance Joy, once again number one on alternative radio. Another very bad wig. The band is sparse unmelodious and is flat as Vance’s voice. Bye Bye Vance.



Nick Jonas, not a bad band, a bit Super Fly a bit Soul. Nick Jonas’s vocal is uninspiring and so lacking in dynamic change that I wonder why he is the front man.










“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon.  This band is disorganized and unmelodious and the backing track is not the worse part the vocal is.

I have cancelled the Seth Myers series.
                                                                              Group Love is the last group on Seth Myers which I will review. The vocalist continues to race to the bottom in the contest: Who can do the most terrible vocal. The Group Love launched into a confused and irrelevant frenzy and I turned off the TV.






Sunday, 31 August 2014

LIVE ROCK CRITIC:                         LIVE ROCK CRITIC    44  ...

LIVE ROCK CRITIC:

                        LIVE ROCK CRITIC    44  ...
:                         LIVE ROCK CRITIC    44     cont........................... Lily Allen appeared on Live from the Artists Den. ...


                        LIVE ROCK CRITIC    44     cont...........................



Lily Allen appeared on Live from the Artists Den. She started slow but by the second number she was interesting up beat and seriously whimsical.
                                                                           

Lily's band is precise and punctual. No backing tracks "Very live entertainment". The second number featured very provocative dancers, well choreographed, well rehearsed.

                                                                          
In the retrospective on musical dance numbers on TV the Lily Allen show has come along way.

Allen synthesizes Jazz and Pop to create rock quality performance.  What essence pervades the Lily Allen group the they are so much better than Vampire Weekend reviewed in the previous segment of Live Rock Critic 44.

Al
len's voice soars crackles and bends and show tunes become danceable

                                                                                                        

Jason Miraz performed at UCLA's Royce Hall.  Many people would like his smooth soft music but it is a Genre outside of Live Rock Criticism.



Continue Live Rock Critic 44 Speed Reviews:  

These bands have appeared on Seth Myer's Late Night. Way back in May " Little Daylight" grinds out their rock schmaltz, Electric Light Orchestra with UHOH's and a bit of kelt. There performance though muddy is real without backing tracks.  

June 3rd 2014  on Seth Myers show Kip Moore is country.He tries to get up and rock but does not quite do it. Very simple very slow and without any great tones.

Very next night "Bastile" which Steth alleges is a UK Rock Band. OHOOO OHHOOO  not quite making rock. It seems to me that this band does not understand what it takes to rock.  They have the right instruments are live but not quite adequate.
                                                                         

Demi Lovato's band does rock. She is a bit of key, nerve grating. Perhaps the rushed shrillness is a product of nervousness. Weakness in drums and bass my fail to punctuate, creating a run on vocal.
                                                                            

Sia got 25 million views on YouTube. A continuing backing track with a ponderous choreography to me. Seth bounces up to view the homo erotic ending close up.




Paolo Nutini performed Iron Sky. Starts out as fair heavy blues very nice blues guitar from an old Gibson 335. The horn section tries to remedy the number's failure to develop and even fall flat. The band is trying for a Beatles style at times. For fans of blues who could tolerate the vougeing........
                                                                          
Stromae " Poppa Yto" was crappy and in french. Repetitious as well with True Geek choreography.

                                                                             

July at last an I just caught a bit of the 8 G band which may suck more than any other. Charlie XCX try's to
out suck 8 G.
                                                                            


I like the bit of Ed Sheran animation which was graphed on to the start of Seth Meyers late night July 10 2014. Listening and viewing on a Samsung Smart TV, probably  your average sound system for programs like Steth Myers.
                                                                           

Neon Trees performed "Text Me In The Morning". the band pulls of quirky rock finally succeeding and continuing to rock. good drums help a lot. the vocal is repetitious, that is a bit of a failure.

July 15th 2014 Seth hosts "Betty Who"  "Some Body Loves You" Betty is making her first TV appearance could be her last shrill on TV.  A flat shrill with frontal exposure, ponderous too.
                                                                             
Broods performed "Mother and Father". A whining weak Techno Pop which did not develop or pick up, very boring and repetitious.

Bleachers performed "Roller Coaster" the rock beat kept up with constant and development and expansion of the music. Then the front man got lost on his Grech when he tried to lead and then the tune fell apart unattractively.

July 29th 2014 Christina Perri performed "Burning Gold". her band is a bit like old Fleetwood Mac.

She stays on key with interesting development. Tempo changes are powerful and compatible. Live music, no backing track and good solid Musicianship from the band. Christina Perri delivered an enthusiastic entertaining performance.

I keep trying to catch up with the performances and write reviews. When I do I'll stop continuing Live Rock Critic 44.


Friday, 15 August 2014

LIVE ROCK CRITIC:                                                   ...

LIVE ROCK CRITIC:                                                   ...:                                                        LIVE   ROCK  CRITIC   44    cont.........                                    ...
                                                       LIVE   ROCK  CRITIC   44    cont.........




                                                                           
   More quick reviews. I have my DVR set to record Live From the Artists Den. Some performances are outside off the scope of my reviews. “Vampire Weekend” :  Immature, folky, calipsoish, softly whining with light weight irrelevant musical interludes without warmth power or charisma. tuneless
sparse over using effects (Vocal Master). Horribly irritating vocal style, never changing incomprehensible lyricing and plunking  and plinking the guitars. So weak.


   Tim McGraw’s  band is a whole lot more competent, ``Live From the Artists Den``. Nice vintage instruments and vintage harmony.  Tim McGraw’s band can play complex powerful music. Much of the country country boars me but millions of people love this type of music.


                                                                      
                                                                               Like many of today’s country bands, the modern sound of contemporary electric music create enhance in McGraw’s country tunes.






PBS Great Performances `The Dave Clark 5`. When they were young they were not immature and insipid.  Right from the beginning the Dave Clark 5 were powerful, strident and charismatic. There are instrumental breaks which are short but which voice the lyrical content of the music. The old Dave Clark 5 play some dated tunes with great energy. They can effectively perform really schmaltzy tunes in an entertaining manner. Some of their tunes are futuristic and innovative. I see what is missing from the contemporary bands I review.
                                                                         A lot of tunes I listen to without knowing who performed them where by the Dave Clark 5.  Watch and listen to the DC 5 live color film at the end of PBS Great Performances



                                                                                



Sunday, 6 July 2014

              LIVE ROCK CRITIC 44     SPEED REVIEWING THE PERFORMERS 2014

I listen to a lot of televised musical performances . It is in some part random, I recorded all of the Seth Myers Late Night shows. He has the worst house band G band.

 Brett Eldredge just happens to have come up first .Country Music can be rigidly formulated as was “Beat of the Music” but it was actually performed and without faking or mistaking.
                                                                         
Kongos performed the next night .They are a spacey hillbilly band with an accordion which is used like it was an organ. There is a heavy Creole undertone to their work and some interesting leads.
                                                                              


On April 8 we have “ New Politics” . All the stuff I despise, oh oh oo ooh with music by backing track. If you are a fan of break dancing you might enjoy the the very well done end to the performance , just the last ten seconds or so, hang in right to the end.

I am just getting started speed reviewing. The next group I will review is “Fitz and the Tantrums”. Coming up with a rating system, I will arbitrarily rate Fitz and the Tantrums at 50 out of 100. The Tantrums constantly repeat the blandest of statements. Their performance is mediocre, there is not one bit of brilliant musicianship or song craft. I first viewed Fitz and the Tantrums on Seth Myer’s Late Night Program. In addition I viewed their performance at the Ace Hotel on Live from the Artists Den. They would probably get less than a 50 for a performance which had nothing exciting about it despite Fitz who kept trying to stir up enthusiasm by clapping and waving his arms.

                                                                            

Seth Meyer’s smirked as if he had scored a real coup having the great Kanye West on his program. I would give Kanye a 75 for ability, but what should one deduct for backing track use and over use. West can sing and it is credible. The Rap turns me off as usual as no talent crap.

                                                                            

Jason Derulo has a billion You Tube hits and 35 million sales says Seth. Whimp Rap turns me off as usual. Backing tracks including vocals: ``Talk Dirty`` will get a 50 but what deduction for the backing tracks?
                                                                              


``Aint It Fun`` is the name of the band and the song that they played. This band is 90 out of 100. I did not notice backing tracks or fake playing. Everyone was working the music. Credible Rock. I observe what I think are fine instruments and really good amps. I like the vocal style and the way the lead singer Shirley Brown moved naturally and rhythmically

                                                                            

Seth says ``Twenty-One Pilots`` performed at the Grammys. A weird talking zero Art Band. The piano player can play, imitating `Cold Play``. I wonder how much of the music was a backing track. I spotted some for sure.
                                                                            


``Parquet Court`` performed ``Black And White``. Seth says they are a Brooklyn Punk band. The drummer is OK. The vocal is terrible. The guitars are boring, repetitious, and not at all fabulous. Fred Armisen is joining in not doing very much by what I perceive from his hand movements. I will rate this performance at 55.
                                                                                


``Young the Giant`` performed Mind over Matter not my favourite type of Rock, but very well performed. Accomplished musicianship and a versatile and tuneful vocalist who is always on key combined to charge the emotions. The band uses some very nice instruments. The Rickenbacker guitar was used particularly to advantage of its unique sound. The band is solid, every member performing well. Comparing the band I think 95 is appropriate.

                                                                             

``Black Label Society`` performed ``Angel Of Mercy``. The vocal was muddy and the tune dragged along. Of the mark a bit to much, another 50 or maybe a 40. Nice instruments just not very well played.                                                                  



``The 1975`` performed ``. First off`, '75 was different. The pop performed came along after The Fall. And, Seth, this is not really a rock band. The song does not remind me of girls at all. The drummer and base player are competent. They are live I am pretty sure. Good enough for a 60 out of 100.

                                                                                

``Wild Feathers``performed ``Left My Women`` Seth says they play a combination of Rock Country, Folk. And Blues, sounds terrible. Yup, they are; country in my most disliked form. I will award these sing along hillbillies a 35, yup.
                                                                                   


``Counting Crows`` performed ``Round Here``. I have a hard time accepting ``Platinum`` but Seth would not lie. There was credible musicianship and vocal work. There is a very good musical performance at the mid point of the song. I would say 90 out of 100. I won`t say anything about the wig.                                                                       



This Live Rock Critic speed dating thing is so long, possibly so boring too, that I will have to split this in two parts to be continued………………..



PS:  You will get to see even more of Seth’s set with the arch and the lights………..looks like a set that you would piece together by cutting out the parts from the back of cereal boxes.



 

 




Tuesday, 11 March 2014

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 43 THE NIGHT THAT CHANGED AMERICA

The night that changed America memorializes the first television appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. The evening began with the useless loser band Maroon Five. The Beatles songs were good from the sixties or perhaps just good enough for Maroon Five’s poser mediocre music style and just a bit slow would I call this dog shit? The audience was obediently seat dancing to the Cholk Rock of Maroon Five. Paul McCartney looked grimly disappointed. Like if somebody offered a lawn and garden fertilization a renewal a re-birth and then sent their dog over to take a dump. Get this performance on the internet and watch the facial expressions. Of course as always the required thunderous applause. Why?

Stevie Wonder performed on the Hohner clavinet, my first keyboard 1960’s vintage. The tempo of “We Can Work It out” was all wrong, Stevie W’s feel for the song wrong. Someone has told Paul M not to vogue so grimly but I did not see approval as Wonder massacred Johnny Dep introduced Jeff Lynn and Joe Walsh. Depp was as uncharismatic and off as usual. “Maxell’s Silver Hammer” had Joe Walsh’s impeccable guitar but Jeff Lynn in his cheap wig did not get the feel. George Harrison’s son put the vocal in its grove.



Ed Ferin? “in my life”. Ed has the spacing and feel all wrong no baroque piano just one jerk and one guitar played weakly and without resonance.



There was a John Lennon live performance from the past next. What a difference.



On to the stage came one of our modern lamo country accented duos. Can it get worse? Yes. Crap guitar solos which barley related to any Beatles sound. Thunderous applause. I wonder if the audience would applaud the dog in the parable as he defecated? Yes.



Granted many great Beatles tunes are elaborate studio productions technologically now readily available for live performance but that has not happened yet.



Kattie Perry sings “Yesterday”. More grim disappointed faces she is stumbling through the song, no time to learn to do it right. I have seldom liked Perry’s performances but this warbling halting fumbling vocal is filled with off the mark vocal notes.



I try to find something good to review but it almost never happens. When the Beatles, filmed years ago, perform I can tell that they have practised modified and perfected. Imagine Dragons perform “Revolution” with their usual oh oh who oh’s. When I hear quavering vocals I know they don’t know. I wonder if it is that if you don’t write it you can’t do it right.



Dave Grohl and Dave Stewart “Hy Bulldog” gets me up on my feet to dance every time I hear it. This is the sixth time I am listening to it. Pounding reprises of the accurate grove. Check the drummer’s enthusiasm, love the drum rolls and the properly snarling guitar.



Next Katie what’s her name with the more prominent belly than breasts drones on.



Annie Lennox falters her way through “Fool On The Hill”. She warbles instead of singing true notes. Her endings are off.



“Let It Be” with John Legend and Alicia Keys. Alicia’s all wrong faux accent shadings grate on my nerves. Each micro mistake hammers at me. Paul M is grim faced. Then there was some excellent guitar. “Here comes the Sun” with Farrel Williams and Brad Paisley. Ass with Hop Chains and the stupid cowboy hat. McCartney is trying to look pleased but if you look closely you’ll notice the down turned corners of his mouth.



Poseur central. There is some deal or scheme to promote certain individuals or bands as “Star”. Applaud for the highly acclaimed promotee.



Dave Gorhl drums , Joe Walsh on guitar and Garry Clark. I hope this will be a good one. Oh Oh Gorhl’s drums fail to make the grade. Walsh on Guitar, ok; his vocal was terrible, awful. An unknown to me black guitarist sings very well and then Walsh ruins it. I would so much rather here the Beatles with Eric Clapton on lead guitar. This song thrilled me one hundred times, maybe a motivating factor in my writing but not this reprise guys, no thanks.



Ringo Star is active and energetic but I still don’t like his vocals. He did a second old Rock and Roll or Do Wop or what ever vocal not impressed. Ringo next does “Yellow Submarine” he cant sing worth a damn. Still he was more accurately timed and in tune with his talk to music than many famous singers who attempted Beatles work this “Night That Changed America”.



This is what I have been waiting for. Paul McCartney will perform. Paul’s band members are actually better musicians than the sixties Beatles. Paul is happy. The band is right on time and tune and creates the correct atmosphere. Most of the performers remind me of the “Walking Dead”, like slow en-vocative zombies doing zombie versions of Beatles tunes. Paul and his band live Beatles tunes. The performances of “They Say Its Your Birthday” and “Get Back” are in comparable to the rest of the program. The timing, the stops, the correct riff. A great band. The vocals and harmony: Wow!



McCartney’s band is certainly well trained and well rehearsed by the guy who was there when the tunes were written. She Was Just Seventeen: I think I first heard this song in the residence lounge at University. David Roth brought the tiny cardboard stereo and the Beatles record into the lounge saying you have got to hear this.



I have always liked Sergeants Peppers Lonely Heart’s Club Band. And I still do. How can the Eurhythmics and Alicia Keys live with themselves, so lame compared to ancient Paul M. Even the Ringo Star talk to music works. Paul is watching the vocal to stay right on time, McCartney and his band sing together its so good it almost hurts.








 

Thursday, 12 December 2013

LIVE ROCK CRITIC 42      GIRL BAND AND GIRL



As I watch television I peruse the listings. I see musical acts which will be performing and I set my DVR to record the program. I got MIA and HAIM this week. Girl and Girl band. Don’t you have to be able to sing better than a sing along, which is what the weak vocals in Haim sound like. Sing along is not rock and roll.

                                                                                      




HAIM performed December 7th 2013 on Saturday Night Live and MIA was hosted by Stephen Colbert the week before.

I do not know what the MIA message is except: I am so cute I can do absolutely anything in front of my recorded music-like tracks.




The musical backing and performance for both MIA and HAIM is sparse and has none of the excitement and dynamic change which should characterize a live rock performance. I believe that MIA and HAIM purport to be rock performance.

The performers are excited it seems as they plod through lacklustre rendition of repetition.

 

Maroon five was the first group I thought delivered a tiny bit of almost music with a huge dose of we are so cool we really do not have to play or sing.

Repetitious and undistinguished lyrics delivered by persons who cannot sing and bland unexciting music are becoming the norm. I was watching a David Foster interview. He said that without star power there was no hope that a great performance could be created.