I went to see Rolling Stone‘s David Fricke interview Lou Reed, Maureen ‘Moe’ Tucker, and Doug Yule of the Velvet Underground last night at the New York Public Library. No, there was no performance or reunion announcement or even anything remotely deep that the VU hardcore wouldn’t know already.
I must admit that I originally bought tickets immediately after seeing these lines on the NYPL’s website, which really painted an ambiguous picture:
Today, the Velvet Underground are the stars they always deserved to be, with a rich and still mysterious story that continues to unfold: in the new visual collection, The Velvet Underground: New York Art, and tonight, in this unprecedented reunion of Reed, Tucker and Yule-the words,music and rhythm of The Velvet Underground.
Yeah, I was thinking there would be a performance…at least for the couple minutes it took to buy the tickets. All that said, it was a very cool night of discussion in which I got some decent pictures and confirmed a few things in my mind…
Lou Reed is indeed an asshole
Lou reed hates everyone except Andy and Moe
*click on through for more pics and confirmations…
Well, I’ve heard of a couple reunions that are going to happen this year…and both get a fuckin’ rousing thumbs up from this rock-bloggin’ fool! The one I JUST heard about today is Mott the Hoople…yes please. They only have a couple London dates lined up thus far, but they best bring their asses across the pond!
And this one I heard rumblings about last year, like Flea will play bass, but it has been confirmed since the start of 2009…The Faces!
Bring ‘em on! I just hope that tickets for these shows aren’t through the roof (who am I foolin’…they will be). I’m actually pretty tired of big gigs any more. There’s so much about them that’s unappealing. First, the ticketing ‘class system’ is a shame. It means that the kid that loves the band the most will never get good seats because he can’t afford them and rich douchebags will have all the good seats. But rock & roll isn’t about them, it’s about that little kids dreams and the blues of the blue-collar working man.
And also the way that shows ‘sell out’ within minutes of going on sale, but then tickets magically appear on a scalper site…which Ticketbastard and Jive Nation claim to have no hands in. Bullshit.
My advice is to seek out the up-and-coming great rock bands and catch them at small clubs for $10-$15, and be able to say you saw them before they were huge. And ususally those shows are more fun anyway! The big problem with it though is for those kids in Kansas and East Buttfuck, Wherever. Nobody comes to their town. There are no cool rock clubs there. Well, find all that cool music online, and move when you turn eighteen…to a city that rocks!
Okay, big tangent there.
In summary, big ‘YES’ for the Mott and Faces reunions! And a big ‘NO’ to the current class system of live music ticket sales. I’ve said my peace.
Well, the most recent reunion rumor involves some sort of incarnation of the once-mighty Rainbow, but under the moniker, Over The Rainbow. Here’s the lineup…
Over The Rainbow is:
Vocals: Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow 1980-1984)
Keyboards: Tony Carey (Rainbow 1975-1978)
Drums: Bobby Rondinelli (Rainbow 1980-1983)
Bass: Greg Smith (Rainbow 1994-1997)
Guitar: Jurgen (“J.R.”) Blackmore
That last one is Ritchie’s son, who could give some legitimacy to this project, if you ask me. I don’t think I’ve heard anyhting J.L. Turner has done since those Rainbow days, but I quite liked his presence in Rainbow at the time. Of course, I was also in middle school. But who can deny the power of “Street of Dreams”? Well, probably many of you…but I think it’s a great one, perhaps even ‘classic’. Take a listen…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyXZnQ9jj7U]
Right? So what do you think about this reunion, amidst the onslaught of reunions that have been taking place the last couple years? Weigh in below…
[polldaddy poll=1123355]
BOO!
Is it possible that Zep might employ Steven Tyler to supply vocals for next year’s Led Zeppelin tour? How weird would that be? Aero Zeppelin. Kinda works semantically, but how strange would that be?! Really…tell us all below and let’s see where this idea really stands in the hearts of fans…
[polldaddy poll=1062738]
BTW, Happy Halloween Everybody!!!
Well, as Hampton will be coming alive again in March 2009, and ‘The Phish’ from Vermont will be playing their first shows in 4 1/2 years…I started wondering what would be the first song that they play the first night back together at Hampton Coliseum.
I’m gonna pick “The Boys Are Back In Town”! I know, not likely, but at a Phish show anything is possible.
What’s your first song pick?
Shana Tova! Dig those Phish boys rockin’ “Avenu Malkenu” at 4:03 in…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP0UF_r3dkY&hl=en&fs=1]
And it looks like it’s going to be an extra sweet one as it has been confirmed (and grandiosely covered at Hidden Track) that ‘The Phish’ from Vermont will be reuniting and have a first show booked in March 2009 at Hampton Coliseum…unless you’re one of those grouches that hates Phish or the kind that can’t separate the music from the scene. Happy New Year to all of us Jews and the Jew in all of us!
So how much bullshit is this new Led Zeppelin reunion report, by Jess Rogers at The Sun, on a scale of 1 to Coda?
Led Zeppelin 1 = It’s on! It’s 100% true story.
Houses of the Holy = 50-50. Maybs
Coda = No chance! Total bullshit.
Rate the likelihood of this newest Zep reunion rumour below… (I’m going with IV, or ZOSO, or Runes, or what have you)…
Start drinking your bleach and smoking those banana peels, because the good ol’ bad boys from Philly are back at it! They’ve just been announced on the Fun Fun Fun Fest schedule in Austin, TX on November 8 &9.
And this is what Dean Clean (of the Dead Milkmen) says:
Yes its true. Looks like they posted about it in the newspaper already. Keep your browser pointed here to find out more as it develops: http://www.funfunfunfest.com/
Of course I”ll be posting info about it on the home page when more details are available.
So…y’all come on down to Austin to see us ya’hear?!
– Dean
I’ve gotta say that I am officially giddy, and praying that they’ll be touring full-on! But what band just reunites for one show? Oh yeah, Zep! Obviously, this Milkmen formation will be without the late Dave Blood on bass, but I’m sure everyone invloved, from fans to band to the new bass player, will all be remembering him fondly as we get to hear the songs performed live again.
Burrow owl, burrow owl, burrow owl…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVkD0RKAjt8&hl=en&fs=1]
I just got back from yoga class and I see this headline at Gigwise which totally fucks up my chi…
Robert Plant ‘Falls Asleep’ When Asked About Led Zeppelin Reunion
What a fuckin’ douche! Well, that’s exactly what I did when I heard he was extending his tour with Allison Kraus. Yaaaaaawwwwwn! Certainly no offense to Allison here, but there’s no way in hell I would pay $60-$100 to see Robert Plant and Allison Kraus live. I just don’t care enough. I would pay a lot to see a Zep reunion show though, and it sort of offends me that Mr. Plant would be so smug about something that millions of fans that have made him a millionaire many times over are on the edge of their seats about.
Well, I just sat back in my seat a little more and uncrossed my fingers. There’s plenty of great music to see out there without the Zep reunion. I get to see Dungen tonight in an intimate setting and preview their upcoming new album. I saw them live a couple years ago and they completely brought the rock goods! So who needs ya anyway, Bob?!…
*photo courtesy of Brad Elterman, check out his site for tons of amazing rock photos!!!
How cool would this Faces reunion be?! Get it together, boys! God, I know Rod needs to rock out again after his highly-successful and super yawn-inducing Great American Songbook series.
…East Village Radio