Well, I hate to say I told you so, but it looks like my being ‘precious’ about Yes and not really accepting their new direction to replace Jon Anderson with Yes tribute band singer, Benoit David, is now proven to be the way Jon sees things too.  Just moments ago Jon Anderson posted this blog post to his MySpace friends…

“Not Yes”

September 18, 2008

Disappointed, and very Disrespected

Disappointed that, with the exception of one phone call from Alan, none of the guys have been in touch since my illness, just to find out how I am doing, and how we will foresee the future for YES. And disappointed that they were not willing to wait till 2009 when I’m fully recovered.

And I feel very disrespected, having spent most of this year creating songs and constant ideas for the band, spending time with Roger Dean creating a stage design, also working with VH1 and Sirius and XM Radio to help promote the welfare of YES.

Getting sick was not “on my radar”, and I thank my own angel Janeee and my family for helping me through this difficult time, and the many well wishers, friends and fans alike, for understanding that ”things happen”.

Of course I wish the guys all the best in their ‘solo’ work, but I just wish this could have been done in a more gentlemanly fashion. After all YES is a precious musical band.

This is not YES on tour…

I send best wishes to one and all,

Jon Anderson
September 2008

So I’m with Jon on this one and I won’t be supporting the ‘Not Yes’ band that will be touring for the actual Yes’ 40th Anniversary.  But I will see Jon when he tours solo when he makes his full recovery in 2009.  Sorry Benoit…I hope you have a blast and make some nice ducats, but unfortunately your rise to fame isn’t coming up completely roses.

Best wishes, Jon… see you in 2009!

Filed in Music, News, Shame On You, reunion on Friday, September 19, 2008 · 40th Anniversary, Benoit David, Jon Anderson, Myspace, Not Yes, Yes · 19 Comments »

…or at least the boys in her high school did.  I guess that’s better than Blowfish!  And Blowfish music is much worse!

This just in from Classic Rock magazine…

Nancy Wilson ‘utters expletive’ horror

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But when TWO women are involved, then you’re really asking for trouble.

Ann and Nancy Wilson are thoroughly cheesed off that the people in charge of the music at the Republican National Convention in the US have decided to turn Heart’s 1977 song Barracuda into a rallying cry for vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, who was apparently called Barracuda during her high-school days.

“I think it’s completely unfair to be so misrepresented,” Nancy told EntertainmentWeekly.com. “I feel completely fucked over.”

Nancy and Ann then released the following statement:

“Sarah Palin’s views and values in NO WAY represent us as American women. We ask that our song Barracuda no longer be used to promote her image.

‘The song Barracuda was written in the late 70s as a scathing rant against the soulless, corporate nature of the music business, particularly for women. (The ‘barracuda’ represented the business.)

‘While Heart did not and would not authorise the use of their song at the RNC, there’s irony in Republican strategists’ choice to make use of it there.’

That’s set that scary ‘pitbull in lipstick’ woman straight, and no mistake.

Go get her, Wilson sisters! And Republican Party, please stop trying to act like you could possibly rock in any way.  That takes soul…and you’ve all given yours up when you joined the Dark Side.

Filed in Attention!, Music, Politics, Shame On You on Friday, September 5, 2008 · Ann Wilson, Barracuda, Classic Rock Magazine, Heart, Nancy Wilson, RNC, Sarah Palin · 5 Comments »

Wow! A couple recent reviews are really helping to reinforce the fact that music is purely subjective and that there is a huge difference between a good music critic and a bad one.

In a recent Village Voice review for Vampire Weekend‘s debut album, Julianne Shepherd jumps on the backlash bandwagon and reaffirms her love for 80′s punk. Unfortunately, it seems that Julianne is airing out her own baggage with trust-fund boys she knew in college and overusing the term steez, whatever that may be. Take a read and see what you think?

Julianne Shepherd’s Vampire Weekend review in the Voice

I don’t work with or for Vampire Weekend and I couldn’t care less what direction their career goes, but it annoys me to see people who think they know all about music rip into bands for the wrong reasons. And why is Paul Simon (and even Peter Gabriel, as I’ve seen in other negative reviews) an originator of African music? Is it because he could actually afford to pay to fly out the whole Ladysmith Black Mambazo to Nashville and use them on his album? How punk rock is that!? There is lots of African music before Graceland, Julianne. Paul Simon stole another culture’s steez! And why are you talking about punk rock? It’s like talking about Big Band music when you’re reviewing a Radiohead album, or ‘dancing about architecture’, even. Oh yeah, and you’re so punk rock that you think these guys are stupid for reading sheet music!? Maybe if you read sheet music, you’d make a better music critic, Julianne. Hang up your hangups before you start trashing someone else’s art.

Another awful review comes to us from Maxim, and here it is…

*review photo courtesy of Scotty B at Hidden Track

Not inherently evil, but what we find out is that this reviewer, David Peisner, never even heard the record, as no advances were given out AT ALL! Meaning that he was probably only judging the album on the one single that has been released. The Black Crowes fought back.

So, a big NewmRadio SHAME ON YOU to David Peisner and Julianne Shepherd.

What do you guys think?  Am I too hard on these two?

Filed in Music, Shame On You on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 · African music, Black Crowes, David Peisner, Julianne Shepherd, Maxim, music critics, reviews, Vampire Weekend, Village Voice · 7 Comments »