Soul Clap
1/17/12
My mother used to dance gently to Aretha Franklin’s respect on a regular basis while I was still living inside her womb. Her being Motown born and raised, my mother exposed this music to me much throughout my entire life (including before it really began). Needless to say, because of this early exposure and upbringing, soul music influences a big part of what I choose to listen to and also of what I write and perform. So here is to why I am expressing my elation for the trend of current pop bands that seem to be participating in an almost (and in some cases, “all out”) “soul revival.” Amy Winehouse (RIP) and Sharon Jones, whom share(d) the Dap Kings as their live band, are the first artists that I feel like were complete modern-day throwbacks to soul music involved in the current “revival” I am referring to. Both ladies are (were) phenomenal singers, performers, and I love pretty much anything either of them has put out. Newer acts like Mayer Hawthorne and less known, Allen Stone, are also pretty much straight throwbacks as well. While not lacking in charisma and overall entertainment value, Stone’s show (which I witnessed at the Larimer Lounge a few weeks ago) was almost too much of a throwback and did not try much by way of freshness or creativity with the genre. Dude had an amazing voice but I probably won’t go out and buy his music. Hawthorne uses familiar soul harmonies and rhythms in all of his songs as well but I enjoy them more (and don’t act like you don’t because of this) because he uses words like “fuck”, “shit”, and “piss”. The most I have been intrigued by a band getting back to soul roots is after attending Fitz and The Tantrums at the Ogden last Sunday. Here is another band who within the course of a year in coming through Denver, played first at the Bluebird to a less-than sold out show only to return 6 months (or something like that) later and play to a sold-out, Sunday night, Ogden crowd. The energy and music were blasting and the songs were an awesome pregnancy of soul and current pop. I guess I can’t explain it any better than that. Here is a video. Decide for yourself. And I forgot to mention Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. They fucking rock too. Also, I think it is very interesting (and enjoyable) to be able to listen to soul music recorded in modern recording studios with techniques and equipment that wasn’t even fathomable to the greats (Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Aretha, etc…) when they were laying down tracks 50 some years ago. Still pumping some soul into the tracks we are making over here at the pink house. Still think the Five Points here in Denver is growing in young people and music. Still think you should come watch me play tonight (1/17/!2) at the Walnut Room. 32nd and Walnut. 9 PM. My Marilyn Monroe...
11/18/11
I think I could do a lot for Lindsay Lohan. In a way, I already feel connected to her in that growing up I used to check her out (and her fake identical twin self) in The Parent Trap, a movie that my little sister would watch relentlessly. With honesty, I can say that some of my first feelings of “love” (or symptoms of love is probably more accurate) came from one of the thousand times I saw double-Lindsay on the old “tube” in the old living room as my sister won out on what we got watch any given night, back in ’98.* Though Lindsay has no idea who I am (presumably) and whether or not I exist, I feel constantly drawn to the seemingly quarterly appearing articles of the latest trouble and/or debauchery she has/is taking part in. Though it is almost impossible for me to explain why this happens at this point in my life, I feel a strange rekindling of these “love symptoms” while reading about her latest self-destruction (those of which have accounts on the BBC World News Website of all places). These feelings are odd as I wouldn’t say I am the nicest, most nurturing, want-to-be care-giver in the world (right?) and am in fact a person whom truly believes if they owned any sort of animal as a pet it would die within the first six months. Nonetheless, somehow I am naturally attracted to her self-deprecating and careless behavior and I just want to help! Haters like to say that her career is a wash and are quick to dismiss her as just another once-promising childhood actor turned Hollywood drug skeleton. Even ol’ Madam to the stars, Heidi Fleiss, has offered her opinion that Lindsay could make a killing as a high-dollar whore in Tinsel Town. I’m not sure if Lindsay will be (or has been already) stooping to this level but she did apparently recently do a spread for Playboy magazine. Though this is something of which I will definitely be writing Santa about, I hope that it is not her first step into Hollywood-whoredom. And though the barrage of articles outlining drug and drunk driving charges, familial disputes, probation violations, etc… that anyone who 'googles' “Lindsay Lohan” is immediately presented with, I somehow have still not lost an ounce of the love that I feel for her. Honestly, all of her personal-turned-legal-potentially-career-ending-problems are knocking her down closer to my level. Can anyone say “Attainable in two years.” (But possibly dead)? Hell, I already know her through only one degree of separation. Right, Pablo!?!? Maybe she will like my music. I'm playing solo Dec. 3rd at the Summit Music Hall before Mercuria and the Gemstars. Going on at 9PM and you can get pre-sale tickets right from me personally. Really hope to see you all (and Lindsay) there. *I feel it only prudent to give accolade to my very first memories of experiencing “love symptoms” which came from watching Kelly Kapowski, the goddess of Bayside High, in her really high jeans and feathered hair. Confused and relaxing in the basement of my parent’s old ranch-style house in Cedar Rapids, IA, I can say puberty began. Whoa.x   
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