Somnambulist

If you don't have time for all three movies...

"What Light" on Sirius 26 Left of Center this morning around 7:50. Hit the Memo button so now I'll be notified if it's playing anywhere on Sirius.

I just finished this. It's this year's winner of the Printz Award, a kind of hipper,older Newbery Award. I'm a school librarian so I kind of had to read it but that aside, it was a really touching, hilarious story about how tough it is to be who you really are.

I'm looking forward to the new Michael Chabon book in a month or so.

It's strange seeing Beatlesque into jazz freak out being described as "classic Wilco." I guess they are moving away from being seen as only an alt.country band in the eyes of some reviewers.

I only listened to the stream twice and I like the new album. I was thinking the other day about how I listen to Wilco. I had heard a few UT songs back in the early 90s and picked up AM on the strength of Box Full of Letters which I saw them perform on that old VH1 show Crossroads. I loved AM at the time it came out and since then have been anxious for each new release. Which brings me to my point...I have memories of the anticipation and eventual enjoyment and understang of each Wilco record. When I pop in Summerteeth, I remember buying the CD on my lunch hour in some little record store on Bleeker Street and having my first listen on the train ride home. It was different from the first two and I kept hitting repeat because at the time it was like a good novel that you were trying to wrap your head around.

I'm not sure how the new record will fit in in my understanding of the Wilco catalogue but I can't wait to explore and make some new memories with it.

On another note, I was wondering how other people view the Wilco records. If say YHF was your first Wilco record, how did you view the other records? Did you give AM a fair shake? Did you try listening to AM without thinking of later records? I think that's what's cool about music. Everyone brings a different background to the listening experience.

Here's that article I read a few years ago on them:

Rolling Stone 8/11/05

Fab Faux are the greatest Beatles cover band-without the wigs BY DAVID FRICKE

ONE DAY IN EARLY 1998, JIMMY Vivino, guitarist and arranger for the Max Weinberg 7, the house band on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, ran into his neighbor Will Lee, bassist for Paul Shaffer's CBS Orchestra on Late Show With David Letterman, in the elevator of their Manhattan apartment building. "We were going to our shows," Vivino says, "and Will goes, 'Hey, I'm starting a Beatles cover band.' The first thing I said was 'Why? There are plenty of Beatles tribute bands out there.'

"Then I realized he was serious," Vivino recalls. "He said, Tm not talking about that. I'm talking about the way classical musicians start a chamber orchestra to play Mozart. I'm talking about playing the Beatles' songs and records live, as perfectly as we can.' I said, 'Without the wigs?' " Lee's reply was quick: "Sure."

Seven years later, the Fab Faux Lee, Vivino, guitarist Frank Agnello, drummer Rich Pagano and multi-instrumentalist Jack Petruzzelli, all of whom sing lead and harmony vocals - are the most accomplished band in the Beatles-cover business. Since debuting at New York's China Club in May 1998, the Fab Faux have mastered and played more than 160 of the 211 songs in the official canon according to Agnello, the Faux's resident Beatles statistician and most are complex hits and post-'65 LP tracks the Beatles never performed in concert. The Fab Faux are surely the only Beatles tribute band that has never covered "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Saw Her Standing There" but has re-created the complete White Album collage "Revolution 9" live. The Faux don't do the obvious, says Lee: "We do the impossible."

They do it to the letter. At a June club date in New York, augmented by small horn and string sections, the Faux went the distance, from the chiming guitars and high brassy vocals of "Please Mr. Postman," on 1903's With the Beatles, to Petruzzelli's perfect take on Paul McCartney's soulman howl in Abbey Rood's "Oh! Darling." Pagano vocally evoked John Lennon tripping through watery reverb in "I Am the Walrus," while drumming in strict Ringo Starr time. And in "Penny Lane," guest trumpeter Lew Soloff blew the brief, closing cadenza found only on the rare promo version of the single.

"When we play the early stuff, it's fun," Pagano says one day before a Faux rehearsal. "But when we play the later stuff, it becomes an enigma, this dream state - how it would have been." The Faux are religiously attentive to vintage studio detail. Lee recently bought a cowbell that matches the exact pitch of the one the Beatles used during the recording of "I Call Your Name." But Agnello insists, "We're not that exact. We learn all the parts from the records, but we sing the songs in our own voices." And when all five voices spread out in full harmony in "Nowhere Man" or when Vivino spins out on lead guitar at the end of "Paperback Writer," the Faux invigorate the artistry of even the Beatles' most intricate studio masterpieces with top chops and Beatlemaniac glee. "It's not just a cover band," Pagano claims. "This is the greatest music ever written, and we're such freaks for it."

Ranging in age from forty (Petruzzelli) to fifty-two (Lee), the Fab Faux are all veteran session players, song-writers and touring sidemen who were already pressed for spare time when they met at Lee's home for their initial practice. The first thing they tried: the ornate waterfall vocals of "Because," on Abbey Road. "And we nailed it pretty well," Lee remembers. "But this is not a band of weekenders. Other Beatles bands have the same love for the music, but they don't have the edge. They don't do what we do for a living."

Pagano, who oversees the Faux's booking and financial affairs, hopes the band can start doing more than its current two dozen or so gigs a year and meet a growing demand for appearances outside New York. (The Faux's next big local shows are September 11th and iath at Webster Hall, where they will perform Ex-Factor, a thematic salute to the Beatles' solo years.) "We get so many requests to play in other big cities," says Pagano. "But Will and Jimmy never know when their vacations are coming up, and touring is a big part of Jack's and my life." In June, Petruzzelli missed only his second Faux gig in six years because he was in Europe with Rufus Wainwright. (The Faux have understudies for such rare occasions.)

The Fab Faux long ago learned to live with the stigma of being a cover band. "The first thing I tell people is 'We don't dress up,'" says Petruzzelli. "Some people are just not open to it, period." But for the past few years, the Faux have been a top attraction at the annual Beatle Week in the real Fabs' hometown of Liverpool. "These are people who had seen the Beatles," Lee says. "They tell us, 'We saw the Beatles many times, and they were never this good.' " He laughs. "That's kind of hard to take."

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Not your average cover band: Vivino, Pagano, Petruzzelli, Lee, Agnello (from left). The Fab Four in 1964 (inset).

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"This is the greatest music ever," says Pagano. "We're freaks for it."

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The Fab Faux (in New York, on June 1st, 2005) have played more than 160 of the 211 songs in the Beatles canon live.

There's no point between the Beatles and Beethoven.

I'm not sure what that means. I agree, it's not a perfect comparison, but I think what they had said they wanted to do was to keep this particular music alive through playing it in person much as playing Beethoven's music has kept his music alive.

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with what they're doing or find it entertaining or not. I just thought it was a unique perspective to cover bands.

You wouldn't criticize the New York Philharmonic for playing note for note recreations of Beethoven or Vivaldi, no, that's what the New York Philharmonic does.

I've read a few things about the Fab Faux and this is how they feel they're approaching the Beatles canon.

VH1 had that show "Bands Reunited" a few years ago and Squeeze was features in one of the episodes. They ended up not reuniting for the show. Jools was one of the main ones to nix the reunion.

WFUV in NY played What Light on Tuesday. FUV is always good for a little Wilco.

Their first, A Catholic Education, is not as "poppy" as the later ones. I think it is an acquired taste but together with the single, Everything Flows, it's interesting to see how they started out. Bandwagonesque really solidified their "sound."

Looking at Grand Prix now you can really see how it's a perfect bridge between Thirteen and Songs From Northern Britain. Howdy! doesn't get much talk but there are some classics on there. The Town and the City being one of my favorites.

Speaking of "rarer" Teenage Fanclub tunes, there were a few great b-sides from the Grand Prix days: Between Us (a Rutles cover!), Who Loves the Sun (Velvet Underground). And I always loved Fallin' from the Judgement Night soundtrack with De La Soul.

Is this argument at all like when artists (musical or otherwise) are done with their work and it's out in the world for others to interpret? Once a taper is done and have put their work out there, do they still have a say as to what others do with it?

It might be apples and oranges but reading this thread made me think of that argument.

On this topic, I just got an email from Sirius that they're adding a 90's Alternative channel to their lineup. From the site:

"The best Grunge and '90s Alternative Rock Music: you

Anything by Terry Southern. His novels are short and quick which might be good for traveling. I read the newish compilation Now Dig This on vacation a few years ago. Red Dirt Marijuana is a good collection of short stories as well. Southern is good for way over the top sarcasm, irony, etc.

http://www.thriftstoreart.com/album_/album1.htm

I don't even know what to say about some of these. Have fun.

I'e got:

Rickenbacker 360 (Black) [used to have a 330/12 but it got to be too much work keeping it in tune and strung up]

Fender Telecaster (white) - cheap mexican model

Aria Pro II (Black/White) - First guitar I bought and it still holds up

That John Lennon Epiphone acoustic mentioned before. Mine's falling apart so I'm not too impressed with it.

Black Fender acoustic which is also falling apart.

Headway bass - a piece of junk but I've never changed the strings (about 15 years) and they sound great.

Ampeg Reverbarocket (sp?) tube amp

"You and Your Sister" by Chris Bell

I always get chills when Chilton comes in with the harmonies.

Remember when bands used to release singles that weren't on the albums? Maybe they should so something like that with "Thanks I Get." If it "doesn't fit" with what the rest of the album might sound like, have it as a stand-alone single with a b-side or two.

Thirteen has some of the same balance of harder edge and pop. The opener, Hang On, is a good example. I remember in an MTV interview back when Thirteen came out that Gerry said he was influenced by Norman's The Concept when he wrote Hang On.

Thirteen often gets slammed as a weak follow up to Bandwagonesque but there are some real gems on there. It is in need of a remaster but songs like Fear of Flying and Gene Clark are great tunes.

Actually, now that I think about it, their latest, Man-Made, has some of the distortion back.

I thought Velvet Goldmine was an OK flick. Ewan McGregor was pretty good as the Iggy Pop character.

Also, the soundtrack to that film was great.

I agree with llynowens, Devo's Satisfaction is superb. I actually prefer it to the original.

I thought some of the tech saavy members of the board might be able to recommend a good, free audio recorder I can download.

I'm trying to tape a stream of my brother's band on a college radio station this morning and the one recorder that was recommended to me, Audacity, doesn't seem to be working.

Try the downtown stuff. Union Square and Washington Square Park.

White Horse Inn/Tavern I can't remember which but it was a hang out of Dylan Thomas.

Also, if you can find Chumley's downtown, that's a fun time. It was a prohibition era bar and it's entrance is just a non-descript door on the street. I can't remember the exact location but I'm sure it's on some citysearch type of site.

Also, I wonder if he'll stop trying to be Elvis Costello anytime soon?

I agree Welsh Rich, so much so that it's tough to get past to see if I even like the new songs. (Imperial Bedroomish album art, production flourishes, vocals, etc.)

I just wrote something similar in the "Separated at birth" thread as well.

Talking about sounding like Elvis Costello, I was listening to Jay Bennett's latest record and he has got some kind of EC envy or something. From the Imperial Bedroom like front cover to the vocal delivery to some of the production flourishes (e.g. Everyday I Write the Book piano riff in one tune.) I like some of Jays tunes but I'm having a hard time getting past the Elvis cloning on his latest.