Reflections in a Computer Monitor

Today marks two months since I have been writing this blog and my enthusiasm for the form and the subject matter remain undimmed. The whole purpose of starting this blog was naively simple, to reclaim rock and roll from those who insist on dividing it into a never ending list of niches and sub-genres. In my mind, garage is rock and roll, punk is rock and roll and pop is rock and roll along with country rock, alternative rock, modern rock (what the hell is that?), schlock rock, rolling rock and whatever other type of (insert description here)rock you can name. U2 is rock and roll along with the Ramones, the Buzzcocks, The Woggles, The Tragically Hip, Wilco White Stripes, 13th Floor Elevators and Midnight Oil to give just a varied example. All of this music is simply rock and roll interpreted in a multitude of ways based on a multitude of inspirations. No band is sacred, no style lords down over all the others (metal rules dude!). Rock and roll is, and will always be a vast melting pot of styles and influences played with attitude, emotion and conviction with enough of an amplified beat to get your hips shaking and gyrating in time. And for heaven’s sake it has to be fun!
In the next few months, The Rock and Roll Report will also be changing and evolving. While I like to concentrate on publicizing record labels, radio stations, magazines and web sites, I have not had the chance to really highlight specific bands that float my rock and roll boat as much as I would like to but hopefully that will change as both time and money allow.
Thanks for all the encouragement to everyone who has e-mailed me with suggestions, links, hints and tips, your generosity does not go unappreciated. And a special thanks to my wife and son for putting up with this crazy venture. Remember to book mark www.rockandrollreport.com for plenty more rock and roll fun and adventure in the future and let me know what you like and hate about this crazy music called rock and roll. Have a great long weekend for anybody lucky enough to celebrate it. I’ll be back September 2nd.
Later.

Cool Site Alert: Glorious Noise

Subtitled “Rock and Roll Can Change Your Life” Glorious Noise is a really cool web ‘zine that is a lot of fun to read with tons of original content and a cool name to boot. Excellent stuff so check it out ASAP.
Later.

Bargain Bin Book Review: Rolling with the Stones by Bill Wyman

I just got back from Chapters (the Canadian version of Barnes and Nobles for you Yanks) and I picked up “Rolling with the Stones” by Bill Wyman for 20 bucks! Since it will take me approximately 3 years to read the behemoth, let me just say this: IF YOU ARE A STONES FAN GET THIS BOOK! It is incredible. Tons and tons of pictures that I have never seen before (and I have a lot of books on the Stones). Tour dates, snippets of cool facts and did I say amazing pictures makes this a must. And no Bill Wyman book would be complete without the requisite copies of financial records, receipts and bills. Really quite amazing and if you compare it to the current NME special issue on the Stones, this is an absolute steal. Buy it.
Later.

So You Want To Be a Rock and Roll Star: Making a Demo CD

So you read my post on the Chess brothers and thought to yourself, I want to make a record but how do I do it? Check out the site How to Record a Band and start that masterpiece now. Tape is rolling. 1, 2, 3, 4……
A quick correction: Cool Edit is now owned by Adobe and is called Audition.
Later.

You have been warned!

All right all you file traders out there, get ready for one hell of a September. According to “Music Pirates, You’re Sunk” from Business Week Online, the RIAA have you in their sites and they are ready to pull the trigger. Look, if you really need the music, in my humble opinion buy it legit and support the major label bands you like with your wallet. Then contact those very same bands and express your outrage/disgust/mild displeasure at the tactics of the RIAA while perhaps suggesting some fan friendly alternatives that they might want to consider. I don’t think file trading should be the issue that you have with the RIAA when there are so many other anti-music fan initiatives they and their members are currently engaged in (like their attack on small webcasters, control of record distribution, yadda yadda yadda). I would also be more concerned with the restrictions being placed on our rights to fair use of the CDs and movies that we buy. Just my 2 cents, which is about all I’ve got on me!
Later.

Great Rock and Roll Record Labels: Chess Records

My sister lives in Chicago and when I got my first chance to visit her I made sure that I dragged her down to 2120 South Michigan Avenue so I could check out the headquarters for one of the most influential record labels in the history of Rock and Roll: Chess Records. Started by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, Chess Records was home to, let’s see Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Didley, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James and the list goes on. Bands like The Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones recorded in the fabled Chess Studios trying to capture a bit of the Chess magic. The Stones actually recruited Leonard Chess’ son Marshall to head Rolling Stones Records in the early seventies (an experience that almost killed him!). A good background on the history of Chess Records can be found here with an extensive discography here. This is a good article on the restoration of the Chess archives. MCA records put out a pile of excellent Chess reissues in the ‘90s like “The Chess Box” but sadly, the excellent website that they use to have up is gone, along with MCA which seems to be owned by one of the BIG 5 (3). (Rant held in check). Even if your tastes run to modern rock and roll and you could never understand the appeal of the blues, pick up a Chess Records compilation and have a listen. It never hurts to check out the music on which rock and roll was built and you might actually find out that you like the stuff. Then you will have another record habit to feed!
Later.

Radio Station Spotlight: CBC Radio

Some of you might be thinking that I am out of my tree in recommending the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s radio service. The Canadians probably think I’m nuts, the Americans a left leaning, Liberal socialist and the Europeans probably don’t even know that the CBC exists but you would all be wrong. The CBC produces 2 shows that I recommend in particular: Brave New Waves and Radio Sonic (oops. Radio Sonic is being eliminated as of September 3rd to be replaced by CBC Radio 3. Let’s see if they manage to screw up a good thing!). In addition, they have a great concert guide called Just Concerts. Anybody anywhere can listen since they stream on the ‘Net. Unlike the lame programming that CBC Television produces (aside from Hockey Night in Canada and even that is starting to get tiresome. I mean can we not get rid of Harry Neal already!), CBC radio is really very good. Check out what our Canadian tax money is being spent on. The quality is great, just like the country it originates from (I had to slip that in!).
Later.

New name & Devotion

This article on Canoe “New name & Devotion” is an interesting example of what happens when another band has the same name as you. Beware!
Later.

The Battle for Radio Diversity: What are the alternatives?

When it comes to radio, I really think that despite the continuing “Clear Channelization” of radio, there are still a lot of stations that put out weird and wonderful stuff that, with the magic of the Internet, more and more people can listen to. There are Internet only stations, non-commercial listener supported terrestrial broadcasters (some of which also stream their programming on the ‘Net), Public Radio (CBC, NPR, BBC, etc.), shortwave stations and even commercial radio (not all of it is necessarily crap). Already, The Rock and Roll Report has highlighted a good cross-selection of some of these types of stations featuring not only great rock and roll but other programming that is worthy of your time and support. If you have a favourite station that you would like to recommend, let me know! I will continue to highlight what I consider to be some of the best radio out there and I could use all the help I can get. Thanks in advance.
Later.

Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream

With all this talk about record industry bullshit (of which there has always existed) I think that it is time to “lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void” as John Lennon intoned in “Tomorrow Never Knows” and there is no better place to do so than Psychedelic-Music based out of Germany. Ahh, that does the trick.. “Listen to the colour of your dreams, It is not leaving, it is not leaving….”
Later.

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