Great 5*C show last night at the Hurricane, thanks everyone.  We opened for Rattle & Hum, which was an excellent fit for us and the lads put on a hell of a rock show.  I was impressed with the selections from Achtung Baby especially.  It’s a compliment to those guys when I say I had my eyes closed for the second set.

A big chunk of the week was devoted to practice, getting a good set together.  We played eight songs, no cover, meaning two more than New Year’s in only our second show without ERock: Cali Blues, Silver-Yellow Girl, Black Machines, Ms. Trouble, Transient, Collaborate, Under Spinning Lights, “Love.”

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Cory and I started talking about recording dates for his full-length.

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I talked to 5*Danny about doing an EP with me after the band finds a replacement bassist or his firstborn arrives.  He agreed; my plan is a Tape/echoes EP called Rogue Demon Hunter, and it will be a collection of various not-acoustic songs that haven’t been released and hopefully some collaborations with Danny.  This is long-term.

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I need your feedback on this; I have been meaning for a long time to start a blog for my recipes.  I don’t like to measure or time things in the kitchen, and I do like bold flavors, eating fairly healthy food, and cooking for my friends.  The problem is that I’m writing for six websites already and nobody reads them all.  So, I made a first post in a new category here at MFR, “The Bogaard Kitchen.”  You have to eat to play music, right?

Anyway, holler if you think it doesn’t fit or is distracting from the ROCK.  -h

Cory wrote the following post; I’ll be continuing the conversation with questions and thoughts in the coming days.  -h

Recently, I was listening to Pocket Full Of Kryptonite by the Spin Doctors, who are from New York, interestingly enough.  I got to thinking about how there is a conjuction of properties of early- to mid-nineties pop music that isn’t really seen in any bands these days.  But in order to paint a better picture of what I mean, here is a short list of bands I have in mind:
Gin Blossoms
The Proclaimers
Blues Traveler
Collective Soul
Spin Doctors
R.E.M.
Alanis Morissette
The Smashing Pumpkins
Soundgarden
Goo Goo Dolls
Live
Counting Crows

Keep in mind also that some of these bands proceeded to make music that doesn’t adhere to the properties I’m about to describe, so when thinking of these bands and their catalogue, try and think of songs from 1990-1995 or so.

The early nineties were a time of a collective cynicism, it felt like; every popular band at the time had at least a slight grunge-sound, and it reflected a community of dissatisfied Gen-Xers fresh of the heels of 80’s music.  The lyrics presented this attitude of “it sucks being in your teens/early 20’s, growing up blows, but we’re kind of all in this together.”  It felt really paradoxical, because the music behind these lyrics was usually warm and uplifting.

Take songs like “1979” from The Smashing Pumpkins, “Two Princes” by the Spin Doctors, and “1,000 Miles” by The Proclaimers.  All of these songs were anthems for kids in their late teens, trying to find a community to be a part of.  These songs were catchy, mass-marketable, and musically optimistic.  The lyrics, however, contradict everything about the music.  “1979” was about teenage apathy that led to delinquent behavior and a “it’s like whatever” outlook.  “Two Princes,” while slightly more uplifting, was a song about two men pining for the same woman, one of whom will inevitably be rejected.  “1,000 Miles” is even weirder; it’s one of the most energetic, inspiring songs I’ve ever heard, yet the lyrics are all about an intense desperation for a girl.

Another song that exemplifies the early 90’s music perfectly is “Dreams” by The Cranberries.  You know: “Oh my life, is changing every day, in every possible way.”

It’s interesting to figure out what led to this short but prolific musical period.  Before the early nineties, you had the beginnings of rap (gangsta rap in particular) and cheesy metal bands like Poison and Motley Crue.  After the early nineties, you still had grunge, but after the death of Kurt Cobain, the only “alternative” bands worth listening to were bands like Foo Fighters, Superdrag, and Green Day, and these bands that were grungy AND popular were few and far between.

I don’t think that early-nineties alternative music was easy to do; bands now that try to emulate the early nineties usually end up sound really trite and cheesy (Puddle Of Mudd, Nickelback, Creed), even though they might’ve fit right in with Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam, aesthetically, even if without the same value.

Cory is preparing an awesome [blog].  In the meantime, read this;

http://www.pnl.gov/news/release.asp?id=204

As a nation, if we could switch over to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, we would take a big step towards A) energy independence from the Middle East (for the conservatives & liberals) and B) drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions (for the environmentalists & liberals).  The electricity is widely available, and it would create market pressure to start building greener power plants.

THIS is a serious energy policy; make it happen.

Musically, I am working with 5*C on demos.  Very exciting stuff.  -h

Listen, I haven’t told anyone this, but Cory and I didn’t use any pitch-correction (never mind auto-tune!) on Sally M/S Ride’s new It’s A Trap.  That established, check out “How to make a pop star” on YouTube (and thanks Katy for the links).

How to make a pop star (part 1)

How to make a pop star – Enrique can’t sing

And in other music-related YouTubeness, watch & hear Aries Spears freestyling as DMX, LL Cool Jay, Jay-Z, and Snoop, in about two minutes flat.