Tempe rocker Roger Clyne has been getting some serious airtime from the Arizona Diamondbacks of late, from on-air comments by announcers Mark Grace and Daron Sutton to Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers’ tune “D-Backs Swing,” which is played after every D-Backs win at Chase Field.

So, I’m watching the game last night and the ‘Backs are getting hammered by the lowly San Francisco Giants (the final score would be 11-3) and it seemed like even Gracie and Sutton were bored. Then, in between an inning, suddenly there is tape of Peacemakers drummer P.H. Naffah and Roger playing Steve Miller’s “The Joker” with none other than D-Backs first baseman Conor Jackson, who is strumming along with the G-C-D chord progression on an acoustic guitar while Roger sings.

And on top of that, it has been announced that RCPM will play a concert on June 14 at Chase Field at the conclusion of the D-Backs/Royals game.

For more info on RCPM check out azpeacemakers.com.

Hey Everybody

A colleague of mine (and an ardent music fan) here at the Trib raised an interesting question recently: What is the difference between “alt-rock” and “indie rock?”

The question was in reference to a story I’d written announcing a Death Cab For Cutie show at the Mesa Amphitheatre, and I referred to the band as “alt-rock.” My colleague said that he still considers Death Cab “indie,” even though they are now on a major label and have gotten some airplay on ”alt-rock” radio in recent years. 

The way I try to distinguish who is “indie” and who is “alt-rock” goes way (way!) back to the ’80s, when bands such as R.E.M., The Replacements and Husker Du came out on independent record labels (IRS, SST and Twin/Tone respectively). Back then it was called “underground,” because radio still played major label artists such as Journey, Foreigner, The Cars, etc. 

But when those bands (and other like-minded groups who followed in their wake) all signed to major label discs in the mid-to-late ’80s, “alt-rock” was born, as it was not Journey, but it was an alternative to commercial rock.

With “alt-rock” now in the mainstream, the next “underground” became indie rock, where small labels such as Saddle Creek Records (a Nebraska based label with a roster of bands such as Bright Eyes, Cursive and Tokyo Police Club) and Matador Records (with a roster of artists such as Cat Power, The New Pornographers and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks) release albums to little corporate radio fanfare but whose acts have strong fan followings.

What it comes down is, does indie rock have a particular sound, or does being on an independent label automatically make you an “indie” band and being on a major label make you an “alt-rock” band?

So, is Death Cab For Cutie still “indie” or are they “alt-rock?”

It depends on where you draw the line…

Chris     

Hey Gang

I spoke with country star and Phoenix native Dierks Bentley the other day for a story I am writing on him for Get Out in anticipation of his headlining gig at Country Thunder USA in Florence on Saturday, April 19.

As always, Dierks was great to speak with (check out the story in Get Out on Thursday, April 17), and as the interview wrapped up Dierks told me told me he wanted to get the word out that all of the proceeds from his merch sales at Country Thunder USA are going to help a sick friend defray medical costs.

Dierks grew up with a buddy in Phoenix who has Cystic Fibrosis, and his friend (who wished to remain anonymous) has had a recent lung transplant.

If you’re heading out to Country Thunder USA and are a Dierks Bentley fan, be sure to pick up a T-shirt at his merch table — he’d really appreciate it!

Chris

Hey Gang

Here is part two of a three part blog on the albums that had a huge impact on me growing up…

“Murmur” and “Reckoning,” R.E.M.
When I got into them: 1984: There used to be this record store in Phoenix called “Rolling Stone Records.” One night when my buddies and I were in there browsing the dude at the counter was playing some of the most beautiful stuff I thought I’d ever heard — acoustic, melodic, gorgeous harmonies. I got up the nerve to approach the guy at the counter (who later became a friend of mine, Gene Volkman) to ask who it was and he said “This? This is R.E.M.” The album was “Murmur” and I bought it on the spot, and a few months later “Reckoning” came out. I was a senior and high school and these records are in the fabric of my memories from that time, of moving on from everything I’d ever known up to that point and heading off to college. R.E.M was never as good as they were in ‘83 and ‘84, and these albums still blow my mind.

“Meat Puppets II,” Meat Puppets
When I got into it: 1984: I’ve been a big fan of country music since my dad, a guitarist, would sing and play me Johnny Cash songs when I was a kid, but I got really into punk as a kid in the late ’70s and early ’80s and kind of moved on from country, as it pretty much stunk in the early ’80s. “Meat Puppets II” brought everything together for me, bridging the gap between country and punk, and, to boot, the Puppets were from my hometown! The Pups made it cool to be a fan of George Jones and still love Black Flag. I used to watch singer/guitarist Curt Kirkwood rip up his Les Paul with the Puppets at The Mason Jar, a dive bar in Phoenix, at all ages shows and think to myself that this was just the coolest thing on the planet: crushing punk with twang. Still one of the greatest albums in my collection.

“The Days of Wine and Roses,” Dream Syndicate
When I got into it: 1984: My friend and I got tix to see R.E.M at the Hollywood Palladium in the summer of 1984 and this band called Dream Syndicate was scheduled to open the show. I was thinking, “Great, I have to sit through an hour of crud before R.E.M. comes on.” Dream Syndicate took the stage and opened with a tune called “Tell Me When It’s Over” and blew me out of my shoes. They were incredible. I bought their record the next day at Tower Records in Hollywood. Turns out Dream Syndicate was a part of the burgeoning “Paisley Underground” movement in L.A. at the time, along with The Three O’Clock, The Long Ryders, Rain Parade and Tucson transplants Green On Red, all bands that I ended up loving. A great record.

“Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc…,” Dwight Yoakam
When I got into it: 1986: This record, along with Steve Earle’s “Guitar Town” and Randy Travis’ “Storms of Life,” brought contemporary country music back from the dead. Heretofore, contemporary country in the ’80s was like bad pop music (much as it is again today), but these three records, and especially Dwight Yoakam’s, put hard twang back on the map. Dwight was like Buck Owens and the hard twang of the Bakersfield Sound, Steve Earle was like outlaws such as Waylon Jennings and Townes Van Zant, and Randy Travis was like George Jones, a great baritone voice singing great country songs. For a few years at least, until Mutt Lange brought his ’80s hair rock vibe to country with wife Shania Twain in the ’90s (even Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Alan Jackson and George Strait — all very popular corssover country artists –made albums in the ’90s that are some darn good country records), you didn’t have to be embarrased by saying that you loved contemporary country music. Now, you have to say “I love classic country” (Garth, Alan and George are classic country now!) to avoid the accusation that you are a fan of the adult contemporary-disguised-as-country stuff the radio plays now. I am holding out for contemporary country’s redemption, but we need another, newer Dwight Yoakam, because when was the last time contemporary country radio played a new Dwight Yoakam song (a complete crime)?…

That’s all for now

Chris

Howdy gang 

I recently saw a blog by some dude at Yahoo listing the “albums that changed (his) life,” which were not to be confused with his favorite albums of all time, so here are a few albums that came along at a certain point in my life that had a huge impact on me.

“Kiss Alive,” Kiss
When I got into it: 1977. When I was in 6th grade I got this album for Christmas (coincidentally, I got my first guitar the same day). I blared the song “Hotter than Hell” all day long (sacrilege, looking back on it) because it had the word “hell” in it and that was a no-no in the Orf house. Ace Frehley was my first guitar hero.

“Rumors,” Fleetwood Mac
When I got into it: (1977). I started listening to KDKB (in the ’70s, one of the best album rock stations in the country) in 6th grade (wow, big year for my musical development I guess) and started hearing a bunch of great rock music (my folks listened to country, which I loved too – I was rebelling, I guess, by cranking the rock). Hearing “Go Your Own Way” on the radio from ”Rumours” made me realize that it wasn’t all Kiss out there…

“Never Mind The Bollocks,” Sex Pistols
When I got into it: 1978. I was 11 years old when I saw Johnny Rotten sneering on the cover of Creem magazine in the local grocery story. He scared the crap outta me, so of course I had to come to grips with the fear and I bought “Nevermind the Bollocks” at Musicland at Metrocenter in Phoenix. This record, gloriously sloppy, rife with cuss words and a vocalist who didn’t care about hitting the right notes, made me believe I could be a rock star too.

“Led Zeppelin IV,” Led Zeppelin
When I got into it: 1978. I had a buddy with an older brother who was big into Zeppelin, and he let me borrow this 8-track (yeah, an 8-track!). I knew “Stairway to Heaven” was on it, but what floored me was “Going to California,” which I’d heard but didn’t know was Led Zep. I liked the hard rock (see above: Kiss) back then, but Zeppelin made it cool to love beautiful acoustic music too.

“Made in the Shade,” The Rolling Stones
When I got into it: 1980. On the last day of school of 8th grade, with a long summer facing me before I started high school, my mom took me to Smitty’s grocery store on Cave Creek and Hatcher in Sunnyslope. They had records there (imagine that now, contemporary albums in a grocery store aisle…) and they had a bunch of disco stuff, but they had this greatest hits Stones disc, which covered the early ’70s. “Wild Horses,” “Brown Sugar,” “Angie,” “Tumbling Dice” — some of the greatest rock ever made. I decided I wanted to be Keith Richards (minus the drugs and the roostertail haircut).

“Pet Sounds,” The Beach Boys
When I got into it: 1982. I had a crush on this girl in 6th grade, got over it by 7th grade, and then in 8th grade she and her family moved right across the  street from me! Crush renewed immediately. I thought it was fate that we’d be together. Now, I am an inherently shy person to this day, and back in high school I was even worse – I didn’t speak to girls unless spoken to, and that almost never happened. It was killer on my social life, of which I basically had none. This girl and I said “hey” to each other across the street on occasion, but she always had an older boyfriend. I had heard the raves about this “Pet Sounds” album and I got it in the summer between sophomore and junior year. It’s thematically about the trevails of growing up, falling in love, etc., rendered in The Beach Boys beautiful harmonies. The album has a melancholy feel, and I had ”Wouldn’t It Be Nice” in my head when this girl would return home across the street in the passenger side of her boyfriend’s car. Killer. We graduated, she moved and fate is way overrated. This album is the fabric of my “woulda, coulda, shoulda” failure living across the street from my crush and never doing a damn thing about it.

That’s all for now…

Hey Gang

Every Tuesday is CD release day in the music biz, and while some Tuesday’s are better than others for releases, today is one of the better CD release days of the year. Here are a few released today that I’ve been looking forward to:

R.E.M., “Accelerate” — R.E.M.’s first two proper albums, “Murmur” (1983) and “Reckoning” (1984) are two of my favorite albums ever, with their mix of Byrdsian vocal harmonies, Southern poetry and pop hooks ushering in the “underground” (later known as “indie rock”) movement. Ever since, though, the band’s albums have been hit or miss for me as they became a radio-friendly arena act. Suppoesedly ”Accelerate” is seen as a return to form. I hope so.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, “Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!” — I love just about everything Nick Cave has done going back to his days in Australian post-punk outfit Birthday Party. Cave is an author and a screenwriter as well as a brilliant songwriter, and with the Bad Seeds the singer has created a moody, beautiful pop canon. If you haven’t checked out Nick Cave yet, visit youtube.com and search for “Straight to You,” one of the most gorgeous love songs ever written.

George Strait, “Troubador” — Most contemporary country to me sounds like ’80s era light rock or adult contemporary, but for over 25 years this Texan has put out one great album after another, mixing Texas swing, ballads and old school honky tonk fleshed out with twin fiddle and pedal steel, instruments you don’t hear much of on contemporary radio anymore (that’s another blog for another time, though). George is one of the greats in the history of the genre, along with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr. and George Jones.

I’m off to Zia Records to score these albums…

Until next time

 Chris

Hey Gang

My gig as music editor for Get Out magazine here in AZ has afforded me the opportunity to interview and write stories about plenty of musicians over the years. Some interviews have been great, where the subject was engaging and fun to talk to, and some have been a drag, like the artist had done 20 interviews that day and just wasn’t into it.

Here are some of my favorite interviews:

Brian Wilson: Not that the interview was that great, but Brian Wilson is one of rock’s true geniuses and my love and respect for his Beach Boys work had me sitting at my desk thinking to myself “Holy smoke, I’m on the phone with Brian Wilson!” It was cool — Brian was very nice and we talked about his finally finishing “Smile,” and at the end of our conversation he told me to come backstage when he played Phoenix that week. I didn’t. I know my place…

Mike Ness: When I was a kid in the early ’80s I used to go see Social Distortion’s all ages shows when they played Phoenix, and they played here a lot because it’s just a skip over from Orange County. Mike has always been one of my heroes (he was one of the first true cowpunkers) and he turned out to be one of the nicest, most literate people I’ve ever interviewed. The publicist said I could have 15 minutes with him, and after 15 minutes I was trying to end the interview and Mike told me not to worry about it. We talked for 45 minutes about old country records (his idol is Hank Williams), the current state of punk rock (he thinks Good Charlotte and those type of bands suck) his tattoos (which he said he somewhat regretted, but it goes with the image) and his collection of old hot rods.  

Jim Messina: I am a big fan of Buffalo Springfield, and before Jim Messina hooked up with Kenny Loggins for Loggins & Messina, Jim produced Buffalo Springfield and played bass with them at the end of their run in the late ’60s. The interview went great (Loggins & Messina were playing a reunion show in Phoenix) and as I was wrapping up Jim casually asked me about Phoenix and said he was going to drop by Fender (located in Scottsdale) when he was in town. All of a sudden we were talking about Telecasters (I own three) and I asked him about the guitars he used on Loggins & Messina records, guessing correctly that “Your Mama Don’t Dance” was done with a Tele. We talked for another 20 minutes, just shooting the breeze. What a cool guy. Conversely, my interview with Kenny Loggins later that day was filled with stock answers and I couldn’t seem to draw him out. Nice guy, though…

Roger Clyne: Roger is a local here in AZ (he played with The Refreshments and now fronts Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers) and I’ve always respected his songwriting and general worldview. I met Roger for a causal talk (not really an interview on work time) at his favorite Mexican restaurant, 3 Margaritas in Tempe, and we ate burros, drank tequila and talked for 3 hours. Roger is very humble, funny, opinionated and intelligent. In other words, all the marks of a great interview subject.

Alice Cooper: One of the first concerts I ever saw was hometown hero Alice Cooper at the Arizona State Fair in 1980. I’ve spoken with Alice a few time, but the first time was great: Alice was playing golf and talking to me on his cell. He’d say “Hang on” and he’d put his phone down to putt. Alice’s image is that of a shock rocker, but he is truly one of the nicest guys I’ve ever interviewed.

Dierks Bentley: I spoke with Dierks (a Phoenix native) before his show opening up for George Strait at US Airways Center, when he had one album of neo-traditional country in stores and was slugging it out trying to make a name for himself. We talked about Nashville and it’s pop bent (which he doesn’t like), his favorite Mexican food joint in Phoenix (Tee Pee Tap Room), his love of the Dukes of Hazzard and Waylon Jennings and one of his idols, George Strait. The second time I interviewed Dierks, after he’d become a major star (in the newsaper biz, you can get an interview with an artist when they are trying to make a name for themselves, but after they hit big they usually deny requests for interviews — they don’t really need the publicity — but Dierks is always willing to talk), he called me 20 minutes late profusely apologizing, saying he respected my time and was sorry to “waste” it. Can you believe that? I’ve had people call me two hours late and not even mention it. Unbelievable. Great songwriter too… 

Cris Kirkwood: I just interviewed Cris last week to preview the Meat Puppets’ show at the Tempe Music Festival this weekend (Mar 28-29). As anybody who has spent maybe five minutes with me knows, the Meat Puppets are one of my favorite bands of all time — I used to go see their all ages shows at the Mason Jar in Phoenix after “Meat Puppets II” and “Up on the Sun” had come out, having my mom drop me off and pick me up after the shows (not all that cool, but that’s how badly I’d want to see them, and my friends who were old enough to drive were into Loverboy and Heart) . Back in the ’80s there was a pretty fertile local music scene, but the Puppets were the only ones to really break it from here nationally until the Gin Blossoms in the early ’90s. Anyhoo, Cris was very forthcoming about his personal struggles with drugs (he was on heroin for about a decade), his time in jail and his return to playing bass with his brother Curt (singer/guitarist) in the Meat Puppets in late 2006. I didn’t shy away from the “tough questions” about his dark nights of the soul and Cris answered every one of them candidly and often with a survivor’s gallows humor.   

That’s all for now — maybe someday I’ll write up my worst interviews…

Hey Gang

This is Chris, the music writer for Get Out and the East Valley Tribune, and this is my new music blog, a place where I’ll riff on local and national music, events, new albums, old albums, random thoughts, what kind of music I love, what kind of music I hate, the good and bad of the music business, recommendations for concerts and CDs, gossip, dirt, praise and insults.

Some of the posts will be long, some will be short, but hopefully y’all will find something interesting in each post.

Until next time

Chris