Sting Gets Back And Sounds Great!

I first saw The Police in concert thirty years ago at my alma mater UCSB. I remember an angry Sting yelling at the bouncers to stop roughing up the kids! The Police were evolving from their original punk roots into a world-class rock band but still rough around the edges in 1981. Flash forward to their reunion tour of 2007 and The Police are a polished act with phenomenal musicians. Sting's voice is stronger than ever and barely needs amplification to fill the cavernous Staples Center. I'm amazed how good they sound after all these years.

In between those two memorable concerts were a few solo shows by the man himself: Sting, the noble Adonis among his rock and roll warriors. Talented, handsome and happily married, Sting likes to stay in shape, both physically and musically. That means playing all types of music with all kinds of musicians, all excellent at what they do. From Branford Marsalis in 1985 to drummer Vinnie Colaiuta , Sting hires the best and the results are often spectacular.

I never knew what to expect from a Sting show until this year's "Back To The Bass" tour. The title said it all so I decided to see him at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, the night after Thanksgiving. I was glad I did because Sting put on his best show yet! He played bass the whole night and sang his ass off for over two hours. His band had no keyboard player or horn section, and the sound was clean and tight. Opening with my favorite Sting song: "All this Time" the show got better and better. The pin-point accuracy of the band on the tricky "Seven Days" and "Love Is Stronger Than Justice" workouts was breathtaking. The tribute to Sting's father "Ghost Story," and the haunting "Stolen Car" were songs I'd rarely heard. "Fields of Gold" is just a beautiful song and Sting sang it like he meant it.

Sting didn't yell at anybody, in fact he told a few stories, both funny and sad, and made sure the crowd sang along on the appropriate tunes. His 3 song Police encore of "Every Breath You Take""Next To You" and "Message In A Bottle" brought back memories of 1981. Yet they couldn't compare to what I saw on stage at the Colosseum on a Friday Fall night in Las Vegas.

Five Decades of Rock In Three Months!

Do you ever wonder about time travel? Is it possible to go back and witness incredible events from the past? I went back to the future recently, and I really liked what I saw.

I was a teenager in the 70s when rock concerts were cheap and plentiful. By the time I turned twenty I'd already seen 100 shows including David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. Since then I've been a faithful rock and roller, both as a performer and journalist. Sometimes it seems like there's nothing else to see or do in the music world. This year proved me wrong. I saw five shows that took me through all the stages of my life and reaffirmed my love for the music of my youth.

The 60s came alive at the Santa Barbara County Bowl in June with the reunion of Buffalo Springfield. It was wonderful to see old heroes Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Neil Young on stage singing tunes like "For What Its Worth" and "Mr. Soul." Furay is the forgotten man, a guy who never quite made it with his group Poco or solo career. He was the star on that cool night, standing in the middle of his more famous brethren, his voice strong on "Kind Woman" and "On The Way Home." I was happy to see him finally get his due.

The spirit of the 70s took over Las Vegas when I saw Carlos Santana perform the last show of his two-year stand at the Hard Rock Casino. I play guitar but not like Carlos, who can make the instrument sing and cry. I almost cried when he settled into "Samba Pa Ti," a beautiful instrumental he rarely performs. There were plenty of hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Smooth," but watching this guy play was the highlight for me. To celebrate the final show, every band member got a whipped cream pie to the face, including Carlos who kept right on playing. This was May 1st, the night bin-Laden was finally found, making it an evening I would never forget.

One of the top selling albums of the 80s was Purple Rain by Prince. The movie of the same name was also a hit and made Prince a multi-media star. I saw him twice in his heyday and what amazed me more than his great songs was his unbelievable musicianship.This guy could play guitar like Hendrix or tap out a cool ballad on the piano while crooning like Sam Cooke. I'm happy to say when he played The Forum in May he sounded better than ever! His opening 9-song medley started with "When Doves Cry" and ended with "I Would Die for You," two of the biggest hits from Purple Rain. Of course he played the title track at the end of the show. In between Prince showcased his dance moves and his airtight band, going from song to song without a break, even throwing in a Bob Dylan cover "To Make You Feel My Love." He did three encores and I left feeling he would have gladly played until dawn.

In 1991 the band U2 released one of the greatest rock albums of all time: Achtung Baby. When I drove down to Angel Stadium in June for their "360" concert, I had no idea U2 would showcase that masterpiece, beginning with "Even Better Than The Real Thing." After that they reeled off classic after classic in one of the best openings I've ever witnessed, including two of U2's biggest hits: "One" and "Where The Streets Have No Name." After seven songs I would have left a happy man but U2 was only getting warmed up. The giant stage known as "The Claw" was as much a part of the show as the band, changing colors and belching out smoke with a top spinning like a disco ball. It contained the best sound system I'd ever heard in a stadium, carrying Bono's powerful singing to the very back rows. More than just a rock concert, it was a grand spectacle, of the likes I'm sure I'll never see again.

In 2000 an unknown band from England released a song called "Yellow" which became a worldwide hit. That group was Coldplay, and in the past decade they've sold more than 50 million records and won seven Grammy awards. I've been a fan ever since their debut and I've been waiting to see them in person. Coldplay started out this summer playing festivals around the world and thanks to the internet I was able to see many of their shows on my computer. Out of nowhere came the news of a benefit concert at the UCLA tennis stadium, a much smaller venue than usual for Coldplay. I was lucky to get tickets through the fan club pre-sale. No matter where they play singer Chris Martin is always the focus of attention. He's a humble yet powerful front man who loves leading the crowd in sing-alongs on anthems like "Viva La Vida" and "In My Place." Out of all the acts I saw this year, Coldplay was the only one to focus on new material. They have another album coming out in October and it sounds like a winner to me.

Before Coldplay hit the stage at UCLA, the PA played the theme music from "Back To The Future." It made me think about all the music I enjoyed in the past few months, and all the great music that lies ahead.

Following The Tours With Twitter

Paul McCartney played Yankee Stadium last night. Alec Baldwin had a wonderful time and the full moon looked beautiful. The former Beatle sang a couple songs he hadn't performed in decades: "Junior's Farm" and "The Night Before." His voice was in top shape and so was his backing band. The crowd loved it.
I knew all of this before the show ended. I saw the entire set list and a picture of the moon over the neon "Yankee Stadium" sign. Another photo showed Paul looking good in a satin blue blazer. All of this was possible because of Twitter.
Twitter. What the heck is that? I'm a guy who loves email but hates texting. I'd rather eat blueberries than deal with a Blackberry. Heck, I don't even own a cell phone and the social network I belong to is called "Get Outta My FACEBOOK." I have my own web domain and web page so if people want to find me, they can hunt me down.
Yet I love Twitter While every other cyberspace device has left me cold, this one has warmed my heart. Once I got the hang of it I realized I could get information about anything anywhere, while its happening! From something as huge as Paul McCartney playing Yankee Stadium to the comments of those watching the movie "Road Trip" on KTLA in Los Angeles. There's room for everything and I'm surprised at the quality of the "tweets." Most people seem to enjoy sharing info about things they care about it and they can be damn funny!
During the Glastonbury music festival in the UK one guy asked: "If U2 and Coldplay are in England, who's saving Africa?"
McCartney had a quip retweeted around the world when he said from the New York City stage: "So who is this Derek Jeter guy? I hear he has more hits than I do!!"
Ever since I saw U2's incredible "360 Tour" show on June 18th I've been fascinated by the final days of the tour. On the day of a U2 show thousands of fans are sending messages and pictures. Locals talk about hearing the show from their backyards while others warn about bad traffic. Sometimes they try to stream the audio and video from their smart phones! No matter the quality, I enjoy the fact a total stranger is trying to provide me with entertainment.
So Paul McCartney has another show in NYC tonight. I'll keep an eye on things, from my apartment in L.A.

PRINCE Reigns At The Forum!

Prince blew the roof off the Forum and I saw it all for $25, no service fees from Ticketbastard on the internet! Like I always say, Staples (or soul-less center) is a joke for concerts or anything.
The 3 rows of luxury boxes mean the upper level seats are worthless. I won't sit up there for free.

But at the Forum the 8th row of the Colonnade was perfect to take in the spectacle of Prince doing his crazy thing. He opened with "When Doves Cry" and somehow got better after that! "Pop Life" "You Need Another Lover""Purple Rain""Sign O The Times"...you get the picture. He started on piano, went solo to the mike for a James Brown inspired medley (complete with killer dance moves) and finally made it to the guitar for some ripping solos. The encore brought up on stage all the people who paid $200 or so for VIP tix (which I guess made the $25 tix affordable) so more power to them! The sound, the effects, the big screens, were all top notch.

Biggest surprise was the cover of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love." This one's been done by everyone from Billy Joel to Adele and Prince turned it into a gospel flavored celebration of love.

He is half way thru his reported 21 Night Stand at the Forum. The place looked completely packed to me ! Who else could do 10 shows at a 17,000 seat arena? And do 11 more? I will try to see another one. You should too.

The Forum used to seem so big to me! Now its like a local nightclub!

Santana's Night To Remember!

A great musician will put on a great show every night. That's what's called being a "professional." Yet sometimes one show is better than the rest. That was the case when I went to Las Vegas to see Carlos Santana perform at the Hard Rock on May 1st. It was the final show of his two year residency at The Joint, one of the best concert venues in the USA. Beginning May 27, 2009, Santana and his band played over 100 shows at the Hard Rock and the final one was a show to remember.
I'd read that the usual performance was just under two hours which was a bit longer than most casino shows. The honchos who run the resorts don't like to keep their guests away from the gambling tables. On May 1st the sold out crowd spent three hours
with Santana and they loved every minute of it.
My favorite tune is the beautiful instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" and it was the third song of the show. "They don't usually play this one," said a local standing next to me in the roomy upstairs balcony. Carlos picked a spot at the front of the stage to sit down and let loose with a gorgeous solo where he made one note sound like a symphony.
After that it was just one great tune after another: "No One To Depend On,""Maria Maria" and the usual hits like "Oye Como Va" and "Black Magic Woman." The first surprise was when he brought his wife on stage to perform an extended drum solo. Cindy Blackman received a standing ovation for her fiery performance before the show resumed with the old favorite "Jingo."
By the time the band kicked into the closing "Smooth" I was dancing along with everyone else in the joyous crowd.
That's the word that describes Carlos Santana and his show: JOY. He told the crowd that he still believed in the ideals of Woodstock, that a person's life is a reflection of their soul. "If you don't like the people you attract then maybe its time to change yourself." Despite the occasional aside, he was never preachy and allowed his guitar playing to do most of the talking.
Since this was the last night of a two-year stand, I expected some hi-jinx on stage. Sure enough, the band members were attacked by the road crew with cream pies to the face while balloons and confetti rained down on the crowd! Even Carlos was stalked by his wife with a pie in each hand. Watching him solo while the cream was dripping off his face was something I'll never forget. Even when the show was over, the good vibes continued. Outside on the street the word was getting out that Osama bin Laden had been found. I figured the news hit the airwaves about the same time Santana performed his final song "Freedom." A perfect ending to a perfect night.

Charlie Sheen Dancing In The Dark

CHARLIE SHEEN FIRED BY WARNER BROTHERS! I could not believe the headline. Who in their right mind would screw up a chance to earn another forty million dollars? Obviously, Sheen is not right in the head. Here is a guy from a famous family who appears to have everything in life yet seems intent on self-destruction. The former baseball player from Santa Monica High is the highest paid actor on television thanks to the #1 comedy Two and a Half Men. Sheen’s recent stint in rehab put filming on hold, now his fellow actors and crew are missing paychecks. He's been all over the internet and Twitter lately but for all the wrong reasons.

After getting kicked out of high school, Sheen went straight to making movies in 1984 and seems to have forgotten how fortunate he is to be a star in Hollywood. His troubles remind me of a quote from one of his Two and a Half Men associates:

"If you don't love the struggle, you have to get out of the business. Sometimes it seems like rolling a boulder uphill, but until you can love the boulder-rolling, you're gonna be disappointed."

Maybe that’s the problem with Sheen. He didn’t have to start at the bottom. He never had a boulder to roll. As for myself, I’ve been writing since high school and I’ve never stopped to ask why I keep writing! Its certainly not for the money. That quote helped me realize I keep at it because I love the boulder-rolling! I am a writer at heart but an office assistant by trade. For the last few years I've been working part-time in the afternoons and writing in the mornings. Except when I've been logging on to eBay to sell some of my rock and roll goodies. It's a simple way to pay the bills so I can keep on writing. Why? Because I love the boulder-rolling.

It wasn't always this way. I had a great gig in the music biz until the bottom fell out in 2001. For myself and thousands of others. Come to think of it, lots of things changed that year. Losing my dream job was a blow but I saw it as a sign to finally give writing a chance. The part-time shift was a good idea for awhile but after that my lifestyle caught up with me. I once had connections for Lakers tickets and backstage passes to the biggest concerts in town. After 2001 it was a struggle just to pay my grocery bill. I clipped coupons and ate every meal at home to save money.
I’m still living on hope and hot dogs, and begging the cable company to let me slide a bit so I can watch the Lakers on TV. I go to the beach almost every day because it's cheaper than going to the neighborhood pub. Not able to afford a health club membership I spend my weekends riding the South Bay bike path for exercise. When I do travel I stay at Super 8s, not super resorts. All because I love the boulder-rolling.

In the past decade I've written four books and a screenplay. I collect the rejection slips and almost look forward to getting them. It's nice to get something in the mail besides a bill. I’ve read countless books about writing. Stephen King once said that a good writer should "read a lot and write a lot." That's good enough for me. I've only read his baseball books but I know he has more money than god. So I read when I’m not writing and write when I’m not reading.

No matter how depressed I get by rejection, I'm always just a bit happier because I'm doing something I love. It reminds me of golfing. Thank goodness my sisters married guys who belong to country clubs or I'd never play at all. Every time I get frustrated on the course something good happens to make me try again. If I shoot over a hundred but make a twenty-foot putt I am overjoyed. If I write a hundred stories and get one published, I'm in heaven.

So imagine how ecstatic I was when I finally met a literary agent and gave him my latest book. The toughest thing for an unknown writer is finding an agent. It’s the famous Catch-22 thing. Publishers won't consider your work without an agent. Agents rarely consider anyone who hasn’t been published! Out of the blue, I met one without even trying.

I’d sold a rare Bruce Springsteen item on eBay and the buyer emailed, saying he lived in Venice Beach. If we met in person he would pay me cash. So I rode my bike over to the Rose Cafe and met up with the guy. We talked about the Boss and his latest music. Then he asked me why I was selling my collector's items. I told him I was a struggling writer and he said "it's your lucky day."

He gave me his card and yes indeed, he was an agent. He told me to send him my latest work and then he drove off in his BMW. I rode back laughing and singing all the way home. I've always believed in the power of rock and roll. Once again it came through for me.

Well, not completely. I sent the guy my book and heard nothing. I emailed him after a week and he said he was busy and hadn't looked at it yet. I sent him another copy with better graphics and formatting. He never returned my call. I’m okay with it because that ride home on my bike was better than the disappointment I would ultimately feel. I was high-fiving homeless people and running red lights and just having the time of my life. In that moment I was a believer. In that moment I was a damn writer! In that moment, I realized that I loved the boulder-rolling.

The quote that started this piece? It’s from Jon Cryer, who is Charlie Sheen’s co-star on Two and a Half Men. It came from an interview Cryer gave before the show became a smash hit. He sounded grateful just to have a job. He had good reason to be. Before Two and a Half Men, Jon Cryer had starred in three sitcoms. All three were canceled after their first season. His current show has been a Top Ten hit for over eight years and in 2009 Cryer won his first Emmy award. Two and a Half Men's future is now in jeopardy. Even if they never tape another episode, Jon Cryer has rolled his boulder to the top of the hill.

The Beatles from Ed Sullivan to iTunes

The other day I was driving out of Playa Del Rey on the 90 freeway when I saw a billboard depicting a lovely black and white photo of The Beatles, trumpeting their arrival on iTunes and the internet. With Christmas just three weeks away I felt it was perfect timing. Beatle albums were popular holiday gifts when I was growing up and always at the top of my wish list. The Fab Four had an uncanny knack for releasing new material at the end of the year and their joyous music fit perfectly with our family get-togethers. It still does.

Life before the Beatles is a vague memory. If you lived in the USA in 1963, you remember a year that began with high hopes and endless possibilities. The Cuban Missile Crisis had come and gone, the Civil Rights movement was underway, and for a brief moment in history America was at peace. The bullets that killed President Kennedy on November 22 changed everything. Suddenly the USA became a very scary place. All of the ideals we grew up with seemed to expire with the young president’s final breath.

Three and a half months after that dark day, America finally had something to smile about. On a cold winter’s night, 73 million people basked in the warm glow of their television sets while watching the Ed Sullivan show. When the host appeared on screen and said “Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!” everything changed again. Not only in America but throughout the world. In February of 1964 I was a six-year old kid whose father was battling hemophilia. I was old enough to cry when JFK was shot and old enough to know my father was living on borrowed time. My mother and three older sisters took care of me and took care of my ailing father. Times were hard and we needed something to lift our spirits. That something was called Beatlemania.
Thank goodness for The Beatles. When my father passed away later that year I had their music to fall back on. In the past four decades Paul McCartney specifically has been my muse, my inspiration and my hero. Last March at the Hollywood Bowl he sounded better than ever and I can’t describe how I feel when I see him in concert.

I think the Beatles Christmas tradition in the USA kicked off in December 1965
with the release of one of their greatest singles: “We Can Work It Out” and “Day Tripper.” The picture sleeve (remember them?) of the 45rpm single depicted the boys looking cold and winter weary in their black coats but the music was both raucous and reflective. Perfectly capturing the essence of the band. Then came “Rubber Soul, “ an album so good each of my sisters insisted on having their own copy. So did I. The music was more acoustic than electric, the title was mysterious and the songs absolutely gorgeous. Especially John Lennon’s poignant “In My Life” and Paul’s lovely “Michelle” which won a Grammy for Song of the Year. My sister Marti named her daughter after it!

At the end of 1967 The Beatles released “Magical Mystery Tour,” and of course it sounded nothing like their previous records. I remember looking through the album’s picture book by the lights of the Christmas tree, trying to make sense of the strange photos taken from the movie of the same name. This is a record I’ve grown to appreciate, especially side two. “Hello Goodbye,”
“Strawberry Fields,””Penny Lane””Baby You’re A Rich Man” and “All You Need Is Love.” On one side of an album! That’s a career for most bands.

The ultimate Beatles Christmas present had to be “The Beatles,” the two-record opus commonly known as “The White Album.” Ironically released exactly five years after the day Kennedy was shot, this was the kind of gift that had kids calling each other on Christmas day with a million questions. Why was the cover blank? Why had The Beatles stopped shaving? Was that Yoko Ono on the poster that came with the album? What the heck was “Revolution #9” about? How come “Back In The USSR” sounded like The Beach Boys? Years later people still have questions about the album Bono of U2 called “the complete encyclopedia of rock and roll.” He’s right. There’s just about every style of music, from the country of Ringo’s “Don’t Pass Me By” to the acid rock of Paul’s “Helter Skelter.” “Dear Prudence” might be the prettiest melody John Lennon ever wrote while George’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” left no doubt of his songwriting strength.

“The White Album” was the hot topic when I returned in January 1969 to Raymond Elementary School in Fullerton. The Beatles were at the top of their game but something seemed off. We heard about their surprise rooftop concert in London and later the rumors of their impending breakup. When “Abbey Road” came out in September everyone agreed it was their best album ever. I personally think it’s the greatest album of all time. It was also the last one they recorded together and a few months later the band imploded.

Although it broke my heart, I knew deep inside they were doing the right thing by splitting up in 1970. The Beatles as a band belonged to the sixties and the sixties belonged to the Beatles. Their music, however, remains timeless. As evidenced by their success on iTunes: 450,000 albums sold with over 2 million individual songs in the first week available. No surprise the best selling Beatles album on iTunes is “Abbey Road” and the most popular song “Here Comes The Sun” hails from the same record. It really is their masterpiece.

With so much holiday cheer in their history its surprising to note The Beatles never recorded any Christmas music. Unless one digs a bit deeper into their catalogue and discovers the existence of “The Beatles Christmas Album.” This LP was made available exclusively to members of The Beatles fan clubs in the UK and USA in 1970. It compiled the Flexi-disc holiday messages they sent to their fan club members from 1963-1969. These quirky bits comprise song parodies and musical skits and show the band at their most unguarded. Its not available on iTunes. Thankfully, practically everything else you could want by the Beatles is on the internet. That makes for a Happy New Year!