Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Where have you been all my life?)
Yes, I know I am only on day two of my Bonnaroo posts but listen dear reader, I seem to live three full lives every year at that piece of fertile soil in the western Tennessee Valley and much like Jack’s famous whiskey distilled in the same county, you just can’t rush these things. There plenty more to come from the farm, but currently I am at 8000 some odd feet in what is arguably the most eye popping piece of Colorado, listening to some of the most ear popping bluegrass floating from the heavens. This is indeed the cradle... read more
Sweet Talk at Bonnaroo Part Two (When The Levee Breaks)
So where did we leave off. Oh yeah the Roots vieing for the title of hardest working band in show biz. To prove the point, as soon as ?uestlove left the stage he went back to the Holiday Inn to rehearse with Ben Harper and John Paul Jones (yes, that John Paul Jones as in Led Zep) for the annual Bonnaroo Superjam. Sometime after the witching hour the trio took the stage in the Other Tent to a thunderous reception. It was a hair on your arms standing up kind of ovation, even before the first chord was struck, but... read more
Sweet Talk’s Bonnaroo 2007 Part One (the Journey of a 1000 miles…)
Once again your intrepid traveler has survived another Bonnaroo. You’d think after four years I’d have this place dialed, but that’s the beauty. Just as soon as you get comfy....POW right in the kisser. Time To Plug into Bonnaroo 2007 Land in Nashville, jump into the fire engine red Monte Carlo, go the secret back way to the grounds. no speeding ticket this year. Good. all the more to tip my favorite bartender. Listen to a gomez / radiohead mix from last years b-roo. lots and lots of lightning bugs. Pull into Holiday Inn where all the State Troopers are... read more
Happy Flag Day Everyone
I am a stars and stripes kinda guy. I even own a 1990 pair of American Flag, Chuck Taylor, Converse All Stars Hi-Tops. Out of respect to old glory, I only wear them twice a year, every year, without fail, once of fourth of July and once on my favorite holiday, FLAG DAY. Many moons ago, I was looking for an excuse to blow off my job as a bar waiter in small Maine town so I could go to the local rope swing, drink warm Olympia Light, and listen to my new mix tape. To remedy the situation, a... read more
Summer Lovin’ Had Me a Blast; Bonnaroo; Telluride Bluegrass; Newport Folk etc.
For most people, summer means water skiing on the lake, basking on the beach and reading trashy paperbacks. But to the growing throng of insatiable musical omnivores summer means glow-stick wars, ravaged road maps, silent discos and midnight Mardi Gras parades with American Idol reject William Hung singing Ricky Martin’s “She Bang” on a monstrous Mr. T float. In other words, it’s Festival Season. While the touring/concert industry—entombed in its gentrified amphitheater sheds—flails like a senile cat thrown into a kennel of starving puppies, the musically enlightened frolic in vast sonic playgrounds built specifically with the live-music experience in mind.... read more
Great Minds Think Alike: Bill Ricchini and The Shins
Bill Ricchini, ever heard of him? What about The Shins? Why do I ask? Because I am a big fan of both of them, and because I am curious as to how two great minds come up with the same idea at pretty much the same time but one goes on to stardom and critical acclaim while the other keeps on plugging away. William Dawes, ever heard of him? What about Paul Revere?. Both delivered the same message at the same time but once old Henry Wadsworth Longfellow chose Revere over Dawes for his poem 40 years later, one went... read more
Praise for the Take Away Shows
Praise for the Take Away Shows By John Peabody, Sweet Talk’s West Coast Correspondent (contact at www.johnpeabody.com) Luke Pritchard of the Kooks starts strumming his guitar and singing the band’s “Ooh la”. He and guitarist Hugh Harris stroll up a tight street in Paris. They keep playing as a car drives by before encountering a gaggle of teenage girls on the sidewalk who, with camera phones aimed, welcome them into a breezeway. The girls scream and sing along with Pritchard, “Ohh la, she was such a good girl to me. Ooh la the world just chewed her up, and spat... read more
Spinal Tap / Ricky Gervais
So I just read this right off the wire....if you need a reason to go to UK this summer… here’s the best so far: Spinal Tap Wants A Sidekick Updated 05:03 PDT Sun, May 20 2007 Spinal Tap wants British funny man Ricky Gervais to appear with them at this summer’s Live Earth London concert, “This Is Spinal Tap” director Marty DiBergi revealed on U.K. airwaves. DiBergi (Rob Reiner) said he has a plan to get Gervais, star and co-writer of top British TV comedy shows “The Office” and “Extras,” involved in the July 7 Wembley Stadium show. DiBergi told... read more
Flaming Lips at Bonnaroo: Are You Ready?
If not I have provided a teaser below. If after watching this you don’t believe The Flaming Lips to be the most outrageously FUN band on the planet you are in the wrong solar system and should consider shock therapy. The snippet of Wayne kissing a seal at the Zoo is priceless. 29 days and counting until the mothership lands in Manchester. The management... read more
Where Do Your Taxes Go (music by Javelin)
This is a great little visual reminder of where our hard earned money goes when we hand it over to those “in charge”. I found this because it features Javelin’s “Oh, Centra!” which I found on OurStage.com many moons ago and still can not get out of my head. It’s one of those rare tracks that is gut busting funny if you listen to the lyrics while having a Beck meets Atari beat that actually busts a move. Anyway enjoy... read more
If I was program director for clear channel this week
(THE ABOVE PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY MR. DOOLITTLE WHILE I WAS SINGING BEYONCE"S “CRAZY IN LOVE” INTO A LAMP) Here’s what the schedule would look like with the appropriate beverage and heavy rotation track Try it you’ll like it and don’t forget to tip your enabler: Monday - Cowboy Junkies - End of Paths Taken - a good box of Chilean Red - “Brave New World” Tuesday - Kings of Leon -Because of the Times - a Russian freeze with Kettle One and Ginger Beer - “Fans” Wednesday - The Old Ceremony - Our One Mistake - Double Dirty Martini... read more
Bring Your Own Voice
“Get busy living or get busy dying” I love it when people stop living someone else’s life and start living their own. It’s always inspriring and I hold these people in the highest regard. Halsey Burgund is one of these people. Burgund woke up one day and decided his tech job was paying the bills but not the soul. He had been dabbling in experimental music for some time, but one day he had a lightbulb moment and decided to combine his love of music and art and create what he calls the Bring Your Own Voice project. The basic... read more
?uestlove, The Roots Drummer gets Buffaloed
It seems Sweet Talks favorite personality in the world of music had some problems leaving Buffalo, NY recently. After you read this you will know why the publisher of PASTE Magazine said, "makes me even more proud of our Roots cover." Me too. If you wanna read my ?uestlove story, click HERE: ?UEST FOR A CHANGE Here’s what ?uest had to say under his blog... read more
On Broadway
Working on independent film is always a labor intensive experience, but when the payback is helping someone fulfill their dream it’s worth every minute. Since I have had the good fortune of seeing a script of mine make it to the big screen due to the tireless efforts of underpaid and over taxed cohorts, I try to help others navigate through the hellish process. Thankfully the the last film’s I worked on, an indie out of Boston called On Broadway, starring Joey McIntyre (of New Kids On The Block fame), Eliza Dushku, Mike O’Malley, with excellent cameos by Amy Poehler... read more
In Search Of Captain Zero: My Chance Meeting Allan Weisbecker
Two years ago I took a vacation. I mean a real vacation. Sailing around the palm tree islands looking for secret surf spots and drinking a bottle of rum every night kind of vacation. Luckily for those hammock moments a friend had suggested reading Allan Weisbecker’s amazing tale, In Search of Captain Zero. It was truly one of those “I dare you to pry this thing out of my hands and make me look at the bikinis and beach breaks” kind of reads. If you are looking for Hunter S. T’s and Kerouac’s long lost cousin, look no further. In... read more
Deerhoof Q&A originally on Emusic
In keeping with theme of unfiltered Q&A’s , here is the unedited transcript from a fun phoner I did with top five favorite drummer, Greg Saunier of Deerhoof. This was originally done for EMUSIC’s amazing Q&A section (here is the LINK You’ll LOVE the site DEERHOOF EMUSIC INTERVIEW) If you are not an Emusic devotee use this link to sign up for 25 free tracks!!! (Sweet Talk’s eMusic Link ) Here is what was left out: Deerhoof: Friend Opportunity The Deerhoof album you always wanted/feared lands face down into your soup. You sniff and paw at it to make sure... read more
Excuse me Mr Sweet but Jeff Tweedy of Wilco is on the phone…
It’s always a little unnerving when a hush falls over a conference room and all sets of eyes fall of you. With a nervous throat clearing, mock cough, I ask the other people if I could have the room to take the call. Thankfully everyone is okay with the interruption. In the middle of a very in depth and intense business meeting, it’s not every day one is paged from the receptionist in some one else’s office in someone else’s city with a call from the ring leader of Wilco. Luckily I had forewarned the others at the meeting of... read more
2000 Light Years from Home, My night with Brandi Carlile, Kaki King, Son Volt and Joe Arthur
So the next chapter in my bizarre life begins something like this..... Monday night, wife having small contractions, no sleep. Fat Tuesday aka Mardi Gras watch my wife give birth to son number two in the water. Watch him float right on up to the top like a cork. No Sleep. Spend Ash Wednesday getting the house in order and parenting son number one who obviously shares my anxiety that tomorrow son number two will be coming home. Everything needs to be ready, buy flowers, lots of flowers, no sleep. Thursday, pick up wife and new addition, drive home, leave... read more
Rocky Balboa the Italian Yoda (A Love Story)
I am a child of Rocky films. That is the good ones. You know what I mean, Rocky - Rocky IV. Memories of Star Spangled Trunks, punching sides of beef, ditching the KGB, chasing chickens, drinking egg yolks, and weird celebratory man hugs in the ocean after beach running make me feel young again. What a simple time we once lived in when there were only four Rocky movies to love. How many times a month do you think about Rocky? I bet it’s more than you’ll admit. Whenever I sprint up the long flight of stairs to the Salem... read more
Be My Valentine ( a Day late as always)
Hallmark Blows Chunks. How come they couldn’t send me a reminder that the Holiday they made up was on a Wednesday this year? For you clueless and forgetful souls out there looking for the ultimate make-up “because I forgot your freaking box of roses and your bouquet of Chocolate and I guess I’m really sorry?” , I offer the following gift ideas: * The entire Truth & Soul Records Catalog: This is the best RECORD label going bar none. Check out the various soul covers of Wu-Tang by El Michels Affair (Truth & Soul and tell ‘em Sweet Talk Sent... read more
The 20 Best Gadgets of the Decade…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Albums of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
The 20 Best Live Acts of the…
Kim Taylor - Days Like this
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
David Bazan - Hard To Be
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
