NYC Propaganda

Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#241
#241
Prince In The Hall

They've announced the new entries for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
As always it's a mixed-bag and I can't agree with all of the choices.
George Harrison was inevitable and of course I applaud it.
ZZ Top, sure. Bob Segar, I'm not so sure despite his having written a bunch of great songs. Traffic, not my idea of all-time great.And Jackson Browne? Excuse me? I don't think so.
I think Prince,though, is a no-brainer. I've seen him live a couple of times and it was breathtaking. He not only played 10 or so instruments but played them ALL incredibly well. But if it wasn't for his flamboyance he would be widely known as a guitar god. The guy is simply amazing on guitar. Totally underrated in that sense. He doesn't showcase his guitar playing like a lot of people do in his music. Just listen to the solo on "When Doves Cry" and you'll hear it. When I saw him in a small club in downtown LA in 93 he played drums, sax, trumpet, piano, bass and sang through a gun-shaped, gold-plated microphone. After 3 hours people demanded a 5th encore but since he started the gig at 2:00 am he pulled the plug at 5:00.
I agree that his creative out-put has been erratic at times but his ability alone has earned him this honor. And he's written a few(dozen) great songs to boot.
He goes in with, among others, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Another phenomenal guitarist.And Prince must be pleased to go in with a former Beatle.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#242
#242
What about Iggy, Ozzy and Johnny Rotten?

I have major issues with the people who select these inductees. How in the hell does this body of voters manage to continue to ignore the impact of The Sex Pistols and Black Sabbath?! Jackson Browne and Bob Seger before John Lydon and Ozzy Osbourne?! And what about Iggy Pop and The Stooges? Between the Pistols, Sabbath and the Stooges you have the very foundation of heavy-metal and punk rock. But I guess the voters are afraid to invite them to the Waldorf-Astoria.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#243
#243
Mondo Generator Meets Bad Wizard

Saturday night we went down to the Bowery Ballroom to see
BAD WIZARD and MONDO GENERATOR. It was , indeed,a night of rawk music. Loud. Hard. Aggressive. Yet funny.
Mondo Generator is led by Nick Oliveri, the bassist/singer of the amazing
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE. In this group he just sings. Or howls
as the case may be. But he howls in a way that only a pro can.
During the encore, Nick came out wearing no shirt or pants. Eyes widened as he revealed an instument of intimidating size indeed. People were still talking about it at the after party at MOTOR CITY on Ludlow st.
Nick also turns out to be a very nice guy.
Look for Bad Wizard while you're at it. They're another local band with a big sound and a big upside.
:inlove:
 
Last edited:
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#245
#245
Joey Ramone Place

The corner of East 2nd St. and Bowery has now been officially named
JOEY RAMONE PLACE. The Wife and I walked down to the ceremony this afternoon after breakfast at Theresa's.There were several hundred punks, young and old, in attendance as they pulled off the cover revealing the new street sign. Even Joey's Mom was there. It was a classic New York moment. The CBGB's street corner will forever be named after the man that wrote "Beat On The Brat".
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#247
#247
Yo La Tengo Cancel Hanukkah

I regret to inform you,dear readers, that YO LA TENGO will not be performing their annual "8 NIGHTS OF HANUKKAH" shows this year. The shows ,which have been held at MAXWELLS in Hoboken and have featured guests ranging from DAVID BYRNE to SARAH SILVERMAN ,were cancelled with little explanation. The band will instead be playing 1 New Years Eve show at Maxwells.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#248
#248
Archive Of Contemporary Music Sale!!

The Archive of Contemporary music is holding
a huge sale of more than 20,000 items beginning
tomorrow and running through Dec. 14th. (11:00am to 6:00pm daily).
They are a non-profit center that collects all recorded post-
World War II music and have a collection of some 1.7 million
pieces. I don't know WHAT to expect from this but it sounds like
a mammoth garage sale.
The ARCHIVE of CONTEMPORARY MUSIC is located at 54 White St.
in Tribeca. Perhaps a good source for holiday shopping?
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#249
#249
First Show of 2004

There is already a concert in 2004 worth looking forward to:
YEAH, YEAH, YEAHS with special guests LIARS, BLACK DICE(whom I'm not yet familiar) and the ever eccentric songsmith DEVENDRA BANHART(who was the opening act for the recent BETH GIBBONS and RUSTIN MAN shows at St. Annes Warehouse in Dumbo). That is a bunch of NYC music thrown into a blender to be spat out on the stage of the
HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM.
JANUARY 9.
2004.
A lot of local rock on a big stage.
The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs and Liars have been dynamic LIVE bands out testing it for the past couple of years now and this should be one Hell of a hometown throwdown. Williamsburg will empty out for the night.
:inlove:
 
Last edited:
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#250
#250
Kinky Xmas

If you're stuck on holiday gifts than I might suggest you make your way to Union Square. Not only do they have that outdoor Xmas Market but you can hit the Virgin Megastore while you're at it. They're selling a bunch of rock and punk rock classics for $9.99. Stuff like the BUZZCOCKS, SEX PISTOLS, X, WHITE STRIPES, BLACK SABBATH etc...
I walked away with a great present for myself: THE ULTIMATE KINKS COLLECTION. That's 44 songs, traversing most of their career for $9.99.
From 1964's 'You Really Got Me' to "Dedicated Follower of Fashion' and the ubiquitous 'Lola'. The KINKS are still, forty years later, an underated rock and roll band. Their early songs pre-date Punk Rock. They came before THE STOOGES, MC5 and THE RAMONES, and PISTOLS. They wrote tight, snarling, power-pop crunchers while the BEATLES were still fantasizing about holding hands.The KINKS were doing it 'All Day and All of The Night' in 1964! Give some props to The Kinks people.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#251
#251
Happy Holidays From The Brooklyn Rail

I'm writing this today from Portland,Oregon where I'm spending the holidays with my family.Please do not rob my apartment while I'm gone. Feel free though to pick up the new, Holiday issue, of THE BROOKLYN RAIL. I have contributed a couple of entries to the holiday song list. On the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan now.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#252
#252
Chicago On The Bowery

With little explanation of their recent whereabouts, Chicago's URGE OVERKILL have re-emerged and are set to burn up the Bowery Ballroom on Feb.6th. We aren't sure if the gig is in support of a new record or just a way to make some quick $$ but I saw them in 93 and they were badass.
The following night the same Bowery Ballroom will host Seattle's own
PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES. Break out the black and head to Delancey.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#253
#253
Jonny Greenwood

The Jonny Greenwood solo project,Bodysong,is scheduled to
be released in the United States on February 24th.This is the first solo project from a member of Radiohead.
As a hopless and documented Radiohead-phile, I simply couldn't wait that long
and went to Kim's on St.Mark's and bought the import for $27.
I probably should have spent the dough on a new sweater and
some longjohns(the windchill was minus 25 that day) but I'm glad I didn't.
Bodysong is the soundtrack to an English documentary made by
Simon Pummell. There is no U.S. release date for the film as of yet so
I don't know much about it. What I DO know is that this album is
a good way for Radiohead fans to tide themselves over until the next
RH record comes out. It is all instrumental and very edgy and strange.
Very eclectic, as well. You can hear a bit of Radiohead in it but there
are jazz influences,middle-eastern influences,Eno and Philip Glass
influences, as well. The whole of it feels unique.
I like it a lot but it is not for everyone. It sets a sort of hypnotic, minor-chord, uneasy-dream sort of tone and some of it is frantic.There is not much of his signature guitar work. A lot of looping,piano,strings,horns,bells and unknown noises. All of it is well-played and creatively produced. If you're a fan of Radiohead,like I am, you will undoubtedly notice the influence that Jonny Greenwood has
had on the band.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#255
#255
The Brooklyn Rail

It looks like I'm getting to review the new JONNY GREENWOOD album for the March issue of THE BROOKLN RAIL. Hopefully, it will bring a little more attention to a pretty obscure record. You wouldn't think that an album from a core member of Radiohead would be overlooked but BODYSONG seems to be. I suppose if it had vocals and wasn't a soundtrack to a British documentary without a release in the U.S. more people would be talking about it. As it stands, it's the first full-length side project from a member of Radiohead. It's also well worth listening to. Very strange,hallucinatory music.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#256
#256
Kiki And Herb!!

Wow!
Valentines Day at the BOWERY BALLROOM with KIKI AND HERB
is not something
I will soon forget. If you have never seen this cabaret drag show
than you really must! They stand up there just the two of them.
Herb on piano and JUSTIN BOND as "KIKI" in full drag on the mic.
They opened with the VIOLENT FEMMES "Add it Up" with only piano, mind you,and vocals. By the end of the night they'd done "Heroin" by LOU REED and "Milkshake" by KELIS and "Institutionalized" by none other than
"SUICIDAL TENDENCIES" with the lyrics reworked to reflect KIKI'S own
personal troubles. HILARIOUS.They even managed to work in covers
of JOY DIVISION and OUTKAST.All the while laying out old standards either sung beautifully or with manic depression.
This "girl" can really belt it out and suck down a lot of Canadian Club while she's at it. One of the best shows I've ever seen.
The opening acts were none too shabby either. THE WAU WAU SISTERS and
THE LAST TOWN CHORUS made it a classic NYC trio of entertainment on V.D.
But make no mistake. Kiki was the clear star of the show and she totally
brought the temple down on our heads. Stupendous! Three thumbs up!
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#257
#257
A Ghost Is Born

Ladies and Gentlemen there is a new WILCO album
on the way. Tentatively set for a June 8th release,
A GHOST IS BORN will be the Chicago band's 5th Lp.
In related news they are scheduled to play the COACHELLA FESTIVAL
in early May with the likes of RADIOHEAD and THE PIXIES.
I am very much looking forward to hearing what JEFF TWEEDY and his
WILCO mates come up with after the universal acclaim of
YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT 2 years ago. Apparently, the record
will include some songs that have been road-tested previously
in their LIVE shows.
Stay tuned.
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#258
#258
4 Free

Sneaking into concerts can be almost a magic trick.Sometimes it's just plain luck. There are many ways to pull it off. I was discussing this issue with (NYC improviser) Sean Hart tonight at Variety Underground and the question arose, "what is the way to do it WELL?"
The best move I ever made was getting in to see ALICE IN CHAINS on the DIRT tour, gratis. Keep in mind that this band was riding the edgy wave between "grunge" and "metal" better than anybody at this point in '93.They had a 3 night stand at the Hollywood Palladium and it was ALL sold-out. I had little $$ and I wanted in really,really badly....What did I DO?
I spied a name off the guest-list over someone's shoulder. And that was
that. I was handed a ticket and a VIP section pass(with NO business having it)
and I ended up watching ALICE IN CHAINS tear it up, in their prime, standing next to SEAL. After the show I slid backstage and rubbed elbows with KURT COBAIN and a bunch of other random H/wood freaks. This show was unbelievable. And it was F'n free.Thanks to a flexible neck and decent eyes.
That is 1 way to do it.
:inlove:
 
Last edited:
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#259
#259
Brooklyn Rail:march Issue

The latest issue of THE BROOKLYN RAIL is on newstands and
available on line(for free, of course) now. Just click on the link below and read my scathing review of the new JONNY GREENWOOD(of Radiohead) album. Actually, that's a lie. My review is not scathing. I just like using that word. In reality I very much liked his album.
It's called BODYSONG.
Read about it in THE BROOKLYN RAIL.
Thank you!
:inlove:
 
Todd Simmons

Todd Simmons

amazed
#260
#260
Morrisey @ The Apollo

Well, I am finally going to see the elusive Morrisey in concert.
And in Harlem of all places. The mighty Apollo Theatre.
Not exactly the venue I'd imagine seeing
the Manchester native ply his craft but I love those sort of incongruities.
Like seeing the White Stripes at Radio City. Or Liberace at CBGB's.
Thurs. May 6th.
God, I hope he breaks out some Smiths tunes. Any would do.
But either way, let's say it together: Morrisey at The Apollo Theatre.
:inlove:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top