On August 14, Brooklyn-based band Gawn will release their debut album, Thee Essence Ov Everything. The band’s newest single, “Pushed Aside,” is available to stream now.
Photo from @g_a_w_n on Instagram
Thee Essence Ov Everything is the perfect mix of soft, indie, and electric rock. Each song is individually interesting but maintains in harmony with the rest of the record. I had the opportunity to talk to Zach Koeing about Gawn, the band’s soul, about the new track and album.
Marilyn Feerick: How did you first get into music?
Zach Koeing: I started playing music probably when I was 10 years old. I grew up in a house with musicians. My dad was a guitar player and songwriter and he taught me to play guitar.
MF: What does “Pushed Aside” mean to you?
ZK: The meaning of the song and the lyrics is kinda just moving on from old friendships that have faded away, maybe because they’re toxic or people change.
MF: I read that it was hard to get one solid group to consistently do shows, so you play with different people almost every night.
ZK: When the project first started, it was more of just a recording project. It was different friends coming to the studio, handing out, laying down some tracks, writing some songs together, and when it kinda came down to shows, it seemed like a lot of people’s schedules were clashing with each other and stuff like that. So, it just seemed to be a lot less stress ad a lot easier to get a group of guys together on the flay than try to rely on just one group of people.
MF: Is having a rotating band more confusing, or does it help you keep everything more fresh?
ZK: I think it sounds like it would be more confusing, but it does feel like it is fresh because every single time that I sit down with a new group of people, it feels like I’m able to come up with something new and something original. With the same group of guys, it would seem like it would be harder to come up with new stuff. There’s definitely different feels. People play differently, and ideas some of the guys will bring to the table will just be kind of on a whim and it’s just like ‘that was it, let’s keep it,’ and if that guy wasn’t there that night, it wouldn’t have happened.
MF: How has COVID-19 and the quarantine affected you creatively? Are you writing anything new?
ZK: Before COVID, we were talking to our publicist about doing PR and all the promotions and everything for [the album], and out of nowhere, the country was shut down and we were kinda just like ‘oh no what are we gonna do? Are we gonna tour, should the record come out, should we go with it?’ And especially during the black lives matter protests, we didn’t want to be shining any light on us when there’s something more important going on. So we decided to basically just put it on the back burner until we started to find out what was going on in the world. During that time I had a little four track recorder at my house that I sat next to, like, every morning and every night just writing new ideas, because we weren’t working or anything so we were just kinda adjusting…to being home all the time. And I had my own little recording setup. So, I recorded about 30 new ideas on a four track during quarantine.
MF: And lastly, do you have any plans for projects once quarantine is over?
ZK: Me and the guys recorded two new songs probably like a month ago, so we plan on releasing probably a seven inch after we do the record and then hopefully next year we’ll be able to tour.
Stream “Pushed Aside” and other singles by Gawn in the meantime before Thee Essence Ov Everything comes out on August 14.
An Albany passion project amongst friends has evolved into a molecular musical composition, otherwise known as Bendt. The four-piece rock group strands undoubted rock heritage with a meticulous nuance of modern yet technical tangents. In their most recent, and debut full length, Bendt tells a story that clearly roots deeper than their sonic surface.
Bendt’s nine track album, Brightness in the Barrens, is sequenced in such a way that provokes the ear. With each track comes a new tone, walking you up a spiral staircase. It’s that moment where you inch closer, adjust your ear and grow more curious with each step. “Encumbered,” marks that sonic threshold where you’ve now entered Bent’s world – The Rock n’ Roll egg has been cracked and mutates before your own eyes.
A Lonely shadow wearing down
The flooding ends but the flames abound
With knowledge worth its weight in gold
Encumbered minds best left unsold
“Encumbered” – Bendt
Notably, Bendt has made an effort with the albums opening track “Symptoms.” It debuted as a single in January and paired with a play-along music video. You can’t knock a band that leads with their musical foot forward. The opening hook is gritty with drum licks that make the listener jump more than once. Lead guitarist, Carl Blackwood, is impressive as he takes the bridge to atmospherical heights. Each instrument colors the piece in their own right, but Bendt is just getting warmed up.
Bendt has that iconic rock sound, but thrives in their subtle textures. Tracks like “Dire Elevation,” “13th” and “Don’t” start at utter ends of the spectrum and contrast each other brilliantly. It’s a physical fitness test of the musical minds. Nothing yields way. Everything is continually changing.
Bendt @ Sonelab Recording Studio 12/16/18 – Bryan Lasky
Without ample background, Bendt punningly plays on the notes between the notes. Highlighting on a personal favorite, “Knife” cuts right through the bullshit. Downright gritty rock that highlights the strength of each player. Continually throughout the album Blackwood and bassist, John Longo push and pull against Matt Plummer’s lead vocals. Drummer Cody Bingham doesn’t play like an outright rock drummer. His nuance captures the intricate textures that non-chromatic instruments often miss – taking what’s his and bolstering the energy in the room. Then roaring on the floor tom, sharpening the band back into the hook.
Album outliers “Open Spaces” and “Something” round out this debut and make way for a suspenseful setlist if weaved carefully as interludes, or stacked as dreamy encore.
Bendt is a hip rock band that plays outiside the box. My guess: their live performances will keep the eyes and ears on edge, trying to absorb what’s actually going on. Gridlocked by the pandemic “Brightness in the Barrens” has not had its chance to bloom.
Be sure to check out Bendt’s 2017 self titled EP that holds its own against Brightness in the Barrens eye for eye – or mixed on shuffle. “Odyssey” is a mysterious harmonic that lurks in the musical mastermind of Bendt – giving way with long-winding strums – so you can take it all in once again. It grows.
BOMBZR, one of New York City’s many exciting up and coming musical acts, is here to share some groovy tunes. Born out of the City’s underground funk and jazz scene, BOMBZR are the perfect accompaniment to any Friday night club scene.
“Butterscotch Baby” is one of the groups highlights featuring a slick, infectious hook and a indisputable groove. This track showcases the wide range of talent BOMBZR bring together as a group.
Rich Bomzer, leader of the group says “For me, Butterscotch Baby is a soul driven love song with a little bit of everything that makes up a good R&B song- with horns, strong vocals, talkbox and a great hook.”
“Butterscotch Baby” features Ramon Jackson on vocals, a friend of Bomzer. The two met working with Valerie Simpson at the Sugar Bar in NYC.
Comprised of musicians with working alongside artists such as Elton John, Kanye West, Valerie Simpson and Roy Ayers, BOMBZR have their own original music that mixes retro throwback soul with the new music of today.
To find out more about the band and keep up with what they have going on, follow them on ReverbNation.
Ryan Guay of Street Pharmacy and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad‘s James Searl have unveiled a passion project collaborative track titled “They Don’t Give A $$$$.” Released July 2, both artists spoke to NYS Music about the inspiration and writing process of “They Don’t Give A $$$$” as well as the experience of working together on the track.
Thomas Lent: What would you say was the inspiration behind “They Don’t Give a Fuck”?
Ryan Guay: I had written that chorus in the months before the pandemic and James and I had been in discussion on getting together and collaborating on a song that talked about how the corporate elite sort of use manipulation and tactics to make more money and fill their pockets, and it doesn’t really help anybody but themselves. I thought it would be a really unique chorus to say “they don’t give a fuck” but say it in a way that reflects more what they are actually doing. They don’t want to give up anything to anyone and they will do anything in order to make that happen. So that’s where the initial inspiration for that chorus came from and I sent it in an iPhone memo to James and James and I started writing back and forth with ideas over the phone and I think that’s where James,
James Searl: Yeah, that’s totally right and one of the cool things about collaborating with another artist on a song is that I think to start with, ya know if you go into the office at like 8:30 a.m. and like we put up a vision board or something and we’re gonna put out a perfect song but in my way. It’s conversational which is how music is, and Ryan and I, we met each other fairly recently. In the past couple of years. We’ve had some nice conversations just about all the things we relate to together and all the things we have in common especially growing up so close to each other but also divided by a national boundary. I feel like this chorus kept making its way into the conversation and what we were talking about things that like, Ryan, forgive me I think you studied history in school?
RG: Yes, I studied history
JS: I studied international relations and we have just like the same interests but different knowledge. We would be telling people different things and be like, “Ya they really don’t give a fuck”. Not only was it the chorus that Ryan had sent to me but it would always keep coming up in our conversations and I feel like that’s a really fun loop to get into creatively was like, it’s a natural, how they bring it all together, especially as musicians in this time, I think it can get a little bit cliché to say, “Oh we’re writing a song that’s relevant to this time”. I think as an artist, it’s our responsibility to kind of talk about what’s always been happening, and until that goes out of style its always going to be in style. It’s not that it’s like for this time or for that time but for all time and talking about the indigenous situation in both the United States and in Canada or Black Lives Matter, it’s just, the common denominator is always that theirs this very rich, mostly white, mostly male, very small population that’s kind of…I wouldn’t say pulling the strings necessarily, but taking advantage of the divisiveness especially. I think another thing that one particular circumstance Ryan had called me and said “hey they’re coming down the street and there’s all of these white supremacy signs being held and all of these alt-right people looking respectable; they don’t look like neo-Nazis like we’re used to seeing, they’re wearing nice shirts and kakis”
TL: Yeah, they changed their image after Charlottesville
JS: They did and Ryan was like “I’ve never seen this in Canada before” and it was just funny (it wasn’t funny) but he was earnestly, very concerned. He went and talked to the leader of the right-wing group that was talking about getting rid of immigrants and everything and it was just so wild to be seeing this happening in the States and in Canada. When we were growing up, the first song I wrote in a band was called “A Groove To Kick a Nazis Ass Too” and it was all about not being racist and it was cool to be against that when we were younger so it’s hard to believe that this is a trending thing with young men who would be in our similar positions now. It’s just, “How did this catch on?” I would say that it has a lot to do with how the song came together.
RG: That happened in January of 2019 in the dead of winter. These guys were putting up signs on the corner of the street in my hometown of 50,000 people, signs that were encouraging people to kick the immigrants out of Canada. “Not my Canada,” stuff like that. I’ve never seen anything like that before, ever, and the first person I messaged and sent a picture too of this occurrence was James. Because we talked about this boiling point in the United States and I never saw it, I never expected that. They had their polo shirts and they’re eating their double-doubles, just “smiling and waving” The next minute they were putting signs up near my rental property. I live in the basement of one. I rent housing to international students and they were putting signs up on these lawns marking where international students lived saying, “Kick them out”. I had never seen anything like it.
TL: With the ending of the visa program, they have basically done that at this point
RG: That’s exactly what they did.
JS: My wife is a professor and every professor is up in arms because it’s cruel to the students involved and it’s dumb, it just doesn’t make any sense. It’s clearly racist and it’s part of the xenophobic atmosphere that’s in politics right now. Another thing is that when you come across it now, these young men now are reading…oh, why can’t I think of anybody’s name?
TL: Evola? Marcus Aurelius is often interpreted as one of their heroes.
JS: Ben Shapiro! When they read Ben Shapiro or even just Jordan Peterson. Whatever powers that be that are trying to pit you against these immigrants, they don’t give a fuck about you. Like these young MAGA guys in their hats. I remember a couple of years ago these young white boys with their MAGA hats came to the front of the stage and know every word to every song so it’s kinda like they’re fans but they know that they’re trolling us and it’s just like, I don’t know why you guys are bringing this attention to yourself. The people that you are supporting, they don’t give a fuck about you. They’re not going to share when it comes time for that. All of the things that we heard before when it comes time for you to reach out to help, there is not gonna be anybody there. Ya know, you can’t eat money and the indigenous people have told us this my whole life. Be wary of these people that are trying to ruin the environment and turn a blind eye to it. In the end they’re trying to kill all of us and they’ll kill all of you too. They don’t care.
RG: Yeah, I’m metis and I’ve got family members that grew up on a reserve and, you know, colonial imperialism is….
TL: I’m sorry, can I interrupt? You said you were metis – can you explain what that is?
RG: Metis means I’m mixed blood, I have some indigenous background.
LT: Thank you for the clarification.
RG: Yeah, yeah no problem. So yeah, as you know, colonial imperialism is somewhat of a dirty word. The Christianization of indigenous people, you know, is really a disguise for the economic motive of imperialism of exploited resources. You know, that’s Canada’s terrible, dirty secret, really. This attempt to, quote-unquote, assimilate indigenous people openly has left a gaping wound in the culture and indigenous people are, you know, marginalized most in our country. The last residential school closed in 1996, it’s not that long ago. I think a lot of people have this perception that Canada is all hunky-dory, but it’s not, especially when it comes to the treatment of indigenous people and I know that from firsthand experience. We have the pipeline/railroad controversy clip in the first part of the music video, the Wet’suwet’en controversy. It’s a four hundred and sixteen-mile pipeline they protested going through their land for reasons and I’m not sure if you’re familiar with this, but in Canada, almost all the indigenous problems, almost all of the First Nations in Canada and its allies formed a massive national railroad blockade in protest. To stop the trade and they stopped, the C. N. for a month. Around when the coronavirus actually started to take shape. The RCMP, which is equivalent to U.S. federal police were created for the purpose of controlling the indigenous population in the eighteen hundreds. So they were sent in to do what they were apparently meant to do in stopping the blockade and if the coronavirus didn’t happen they would probably have gotten a lot more got international attention, but that’s what the significance of the whole clip is.
TL: After finding your inspiration, how would you describe the writing process for “They don’t give a $$$$?”
RG: Okay, I’ll start with that one James. I pounded out the chorus on an acoustic guitar and just repeated it over and over and over again so I could remember it. I wasn’t near anywhere to recording and it became something. It has been an ongoing theme in our conversations. It always comes back to that. So. I think when music, sometimes theirs just something divine about it. You know, you are the vessel that music is coming through, and that lyric, melody, just came out and it didn’t change at all. I just sent it to James and said. “Hey, James what do you think of this?” And then James right away was sending me lyrics. He was inspired by it and I was inspired by what he was sending me. So then I got into a computer and started to produce it and send him some ideas with an electric guitar just some drum tracks on-we did it for the most part electronically. This was in 2019 in the winter/fall when we started to send these ideas back and forth. I remember standing in line somewhere in the mall and James sent me a great idea for what became the second half of that verse. The second half of the second verse. And I just felt that we had something of serious significance because he was able to take my hook and make it mean something. You can say they don’t give a fuck about you and you know it could be like. Who is it? What does that mean? But James is able to channel that marriage of lyrics and melody to put it together to support the thesis statement. To be fair James drove a very far distance to make this happen.
JS: Ya I drove up to Welland Ontario which is ya know a beautiful place. I wanted to go see where Ryan is from and where Street Pharmacy does their work because since we’ve gotten to know each other it’s like finding old friends that you knew were there but you didn’t know where. So Welland was like a very familiar feeling place. It is only 20-30 minutes over the border from Buffalo. So it’s almost exactly where I’m from. And ya I just went there and I brought my base with me and Ryan had the drums and some guitars went down. I sat down and I played the bass line. The drummer Ivan was also there so it was cool to feel the vibe of the drummer in the room with me while I was playing. It felt very electric to finally sit down. When I figured out what the baseline was going to be I was very excited. That’s not always the situation when you’re with your band. Maybe when you’re alone or just with the producer. This was like with we’re making something fresh, and it was the first time we’ve done that. Ryan, as we were getting on the phone- and it was like the middle of the conference call that I realized he was extremely talented and capable and was engineering everything. He has a special touch and I love the way he mixes these things and makes them sound good.
That was also very inspiring sonically alone. And then just working on the sonics of the tune. I actually wrote like a book with different verses for the song over time and then on that trip I think I was a little bit exhausted, traveling, just like living my life, which is like trying to balance a lot of things that one time and I didn’t end up getting to lay down the vocals on that trip. I really liked the verses that I had but we kinda delayed the track and then it came time to be like “Hey I think we should really put this together this is a message that people would really like us to sing” ya know were just artists putting music out there but WE want to say it. That’s another part of being an artist. It was the first time that I ever sat in my basement at night and wrote some lyrics, recorded it, and send it to Ryan and Adam to use that track, as a point of pride for myself, to say that “I’m good, we can do this” and I don’t have to leave my house during the quarantine. I can lay down my vocals for Ryan who is in Welland and we can make a song and we can put it out. Like this is using the tools that we have to our advantage. That’s like kind of how it all came together.
RG: Ya there was a lot of exchanging of material over the internet because the coronavirus made it almost impossible to meet and then the borders closed. So we just used it to the best of our ability. There were a lot of other people involved. My friend Mike who plays in a band called Silverstein was very helpful in getting some of the sounds. He was located here and I was sending the files to him in the latter stages. Our friend Adam was on the track and was really happy with the vocals. I think this is one of the first time James engineered his vocals.
JS: Ya it was my first time engineering something that normally someone else would do all the time. The thing that keeps me going is working with people who really know how to engineer their sound and be able to engineer my sound as well. For Adam to think that it was useable-
RG: He (Adam Tune) was really impressed. He’s got a good ear for being able to tell when things are right. And that’s really hard, a lot of people who attempt to engineer, they don’t use their ears. They more or less watch the meters as opposed to listening to the track. A lot of times that’s what people are just starting out do but James’s ear is fantastic. His ability in the studio to capture the moment and put it into a file and record it, especially with his bass tone and his vocal tonality, it was really inspiring for me as an engineer and a producer to be able to pull those takes out fo someone and it was like “WOW let’s try to do some other cool things”. I think at the end we tried some other, Tom Morello Esq, octave, whammy pedal type things with the base where James is going up and down a full octave. It’s almost like a bass solo at the end. That was the most fun part of the process for me, ya know this is something I forgot to mention too. The person who introduced us, who I think wants to remain nameless, came down from Buffalo to meet us and he hand introduced us. I think James has a story about that. It was really cool for him to see the idea that he something that he had sort of an idea, being a fan of Street Pharmacy and then approach me at a show and say “You really need to work with this band their great”. I said “Ok” and the same thing happened to James and it ended up working out.
TL: It sounds like you guys really enjoy collaborating together. Can listeners expect more collaborations?
JS: That’s the hope, ya we certainty want to do that.
RG: Definitely. When you get together in a room with somebody and – I write commercial songs for a living under another name and another company- so I’ve done a lot of co-writing sessions and sessions for corporations and it can be difficult. But James and I have this instant, I think it comes from friendship so, we’re interested in the same things. I don’t think Rochester is too dissimilar from Welland. Because I’m so close to the border I grew up on a lot of American 90’s Alt-Rock, early 90’s late 80’s stuff, and American Punk. James had that background as well, with both of us playing in reggae-oriented bands now and ya know we listen to the same music. 90’s golden age hip-hop, Reggae, Dance hall, and also listening to 90’s alt-rock got us to this place where we can speak the same language. We can play something and be like, “Ya I know what that is it’s giving me a Helmet vibe” and James going “Wow you know Helmet I don’t know anybody who knows Helmet!”. We can talk like that without even really needing to speak. I’m really happy about that, that’s the best thing for me that’s come out of this experience other than having a song that’s very meaningful and I hope that it can help people open their eyes to the seriousness of the situation.
Frank Palangi, the homegrown Queensbury, NY indie rock singer, guitarist and musician who has shown he can do anything and everything he sets his mind to, has released his latest video for “Gone Mad.”
Filmed at Sweet Basil’s, as well as his home studio, Palangi coordinated for the video in recent months with Director Cameron Gallagher and Producer Frank Palangi.
The video is composed as an otherworldly talent competition at a mysterious location, which leaves Palangi walking into a rigged scenario and leaving him with no control. “Gone Mad” serves as the third chapter of of recent videos, including “Break These Chains” and “Set Me Free.”
Frank’s music is an evolution of the rock and metal sounds of the 80’s and 90’s with a dose of post-grunge mixed in. Despite the title, “Gone Mad” offers a refreshing and positive outlook that serves up a feeding frenzy of heavy guitar work and deep, gritty vocals.
With one of the more iconic hooks in hip-hop history, “C.R.E.A.M” (Cash Rules Everything Around Me) is by far Wu-Tang Clan’s most popular record, making them household names. The single was on their debut LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) and is considered a magnum opus of hip hop music. When you combine Method Man’s unique — yet silky-smooth flow — along with Raekwon and Inspectah Deck’s cutting-edge lyricism, you have the makings of a classic record.
“C.R.E.A.M” was recorded by the group in July of 1993, but was officially released November 9, 1993 as the eighth track from the 36 Chambers LP. RZA — the group’s defacto leader and beat maker — produced the song by sampling the opening piano riff from Charmel’s 1967 record “As Long as I Got You,” with a perfectly placed set of looping drum kicks added on.
Despite all the praise the record received within the hip-hop community and its current status as a classic record, “C.R.E.A.M” was not a chart-topp. Debuting at number 96 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, it eventually peaked at number 60 later that week, also peaking at number 8 on the hottest hip-hop/R&B songs. It became certified gold officially in 2009, 15 years after its release.
“The Rza is just razor sharp, he always on point with the beats with the rhymes”
In an interview for 247HH (hip-hop), Raekwon revealed the meaning behind the song’s tittle, revealing that “cream” was a slang term for money kids around the neighborhood would use. Saying that it came from cartoons like, Tom & Jerry, where the titular cat — Jerry — would slap Tom (the mouse) with whipped cream as they would fight over food. As a result, “cream” became something that they said when they were fighting over money or. in general, want of a better financial situation.
He also revealed that the acronym “cash rules everything around me” came from group mate Method Man’s associate, Raid. Detailing that back then, people would write graffiti and would break words down to give them meaning so, Raid broke down “cream” to mean “cash rules everything around me.”
RZA shed light on how the record came about, in an interview with SiriusXM. Divulging that the name of the original track was “The Lifestyle of the Mega Rich” and it had about 8 minutes of material from Raekwon and Inspacteh Deck. He wanted them to condense their lyrics into more concise verses and thought it needed a great hook. That’s where Method Man came in to play. The most culturally transcendent of the group, RZA even acknowledged that it was Method Man’s melodic flow on the hook that took Wu-Tang from gold to Platinum.
In a more recent interview with DJ Vlad, Inspectah Deck revealed that it was the success of “C.R.E.A.M” that made him realize how big of a group they were. Recalling a memory from a show the clan in Webster Hall, noticing that many of his heroes were there to see the Clan perform. From Big Daddy Kane, to Tracy Lee and Q-Tip.
The songs music video paid homage to where each member of the group was from, as a form of imagery that added even more depth to the record. The music video begins in the projects of Staten Island and then sees the Clan make their way to a more lavish lifestyle, driving Mercedes and sipping champagne.
Raekwon And Inspectah Deck were the only members of the group to have verses on the record. With both relating to the harsh realities of being from the inner cities. Telling their life stories’ in each verse. Rae gives a timeline of his life from his move from to Staten Island and his time spent in New York City. His first two lines perfectly captures the environment he hails from.
“I grew up on the crime side the New York times side
Where staying alive was no jive.”
Continuing with more personal tales of being separated from his father with his mother leaving and moving the family to Staten Island.
“Second hands moms bounced on old man, then we moved to shaolin land”
He chronicled his entire life on this verse and gave descriptive accounts of his times in the inner-city. The story being told is raw, real and vivid, something the man known as “the chef” is known for. Finishing his verse with:
“Figured out I went the wrong route, so I got with sick a** clique and went all out
Catching kings from cross seas hauling MVP’s every week we make 40 g’s
N***a respect mine or here goes the tech nine ch-ch pow move from the gate now”
Inspectah Deck took a similar approach to Raekwon, with similar accounts, while his verse detailed his own attempts at preventing the youth from following a similar path.
“Spent 22 long hard years we still struggling
Survival got me bugging but I’m alive on arrival
I peep at the shape of the streets
And stay awake to the ways of the world cause sh*t is deep”
With Raekwon’s story-telling abilities an entire story was told in one perfectly executed verse. From this verse alone, we learn, that at 15 he had plans of making “cream” but, was sent to jail for selling drugs. Yet, he only sold drugs because he never had much and only wanted a piece of the finer things in life – a sentiment many incarcerated Black men can share in. In the end, his life was taken away for trying to get his version of the American dream.
“Life as a shorty shouldn’t be so rough.
Though I don’t know why I chose to smoke sess
I guess that the time when I’m not depressed
But I’m still depressed, and I ask; what’s it worth
Ready to give up so I seek the old Earth”
“C.R.E.A.M” has left behind a significant legacy in hip-hop. The song’s popularity helped shift the balance of power from the West coast to the East, even going on to transcend any tension between the differing coasts.
The record has been sampled or interpolated by Drake on “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2,” Notorious B.I.G on his hit record “Notorious Thugs,” featuring Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony. Other artists include Joey Bada$$ on his song “Paper Trail$” as well as, Mos Def on “Mathematics.”
Just as music fans the world over are clamoring to get their fix, so, too, are musicians longing to get out in front of actual crowds and ply their trade. No live stream can replicate the energy of a live concert, where musical notes serve as a conduit facilitating an infinite loop of energy travelling between the band and the audience. Live music requires presence — you have to be there, to be sure — though not just in body, but in mind and spirit, too. Within that presence, as one finds alignment with the head, the heart, and the feet, is where the magic lives. As it has been said, “Seek and ye shall find.”
Bridging that thought, it’s been especially hard to find live music these days (no explanation necessary), especially that of the safe and socially distant variety with crowds respectful of both coronavirus and others’ personal space. Creativity has become the order of the day in terms of booking, and I’ve now been lucky enough to catch a few live shows in locales previously unthinkable: a field behind Woodbridge HS, the Asbury Park Elks Lodge, even a few backyards, not least of all my own.
Some days live music seems more poignant than others; Jerry Garcia’s birthday has always been one of those days. I’ll never forget seeing Jerry on his birthday at The Palace at Auburn Hills, August 1, 1994, one of just three performances by the Grateful Dead on this date. Well, in the summer of 2020, any live show is special, and just as I was one of the lucky ones to see Jerry’s birthday show in ‘94, so, too, was I lucky enough to see Cosmic open the Days Between (marked by the days between Jerry’s birth and death, 8/9/95) on August 1, 2020.
After having spent the day on the beach in Asbury Park with my wife, we parted ways {one of the beautiful things about our marriage is that even though we have divergent interests, she unilaterally supports my passions} and I grabbed some primo socially distant real estate at the Asbury Elks Lodge, right up front near the band and in front of the PA. I’ve spoken of silver linings in other recent musings, but my favorite one bears repeating: encroaching on someone else’s personal space has become societally uncool, and that bodes really well for an abundance of dancing space. Punctuality has also become the order of the day and, since timeliness is next to godliness, mine was rewarded not just with the best 10×10 foot square in the house but also with soundcheck, a tasty version of “Beat It On Down the Line,” even if the band ultimately decided not to play a “seventy-eight beat intro for Jerry’s birthday” after briefly parrying the idea back and forth.
Just fifteen short minutes after the announced start time of 4:00, everybody was dancing in a ring around the sun as Cosmic took to the stage and opened this gorgeous afternoon with the Grateful Dead’s anthemic summer song, “The Golden Road To Unlimited Devotion.” This song has a short history with the Grateful Dead and wasn’t to be played live at any time after 1967, wayyyy before my time, heck, even before the actual summer of love later that same year, but to me it’s always been a party tune and set a fiery tone for the day as the band implored, “Hey hey, hey, come right away. Come and join the party every day.” An impressive and energetic “Viola Lee Blues” followed (is there any other kind???), before the band played “Set Me Free”, the first of seven original tunes they would play on this sunny August afternoon.
Shirtless guys and sun-kissed girls in long flowing dresses, spinning and twirling in a scene reminiscent of San Francisco’s Golden Gate park, the crowd was beauty personified. On this day, as we celebrated what would have been Jerome John Garcia’s 78th trip around the sun, none of us were thinking about the problems of the world, at least no more so than pertained to social distance and wearing masks. We were celebrating the life and music of Jerry Garcia, the outward expression of whose passion in turn shaped most of our lives. From the youngest among us who, forget about having seen Garcia live, probably shouldn’t have been drinking legally, to those with stories from the Avalon Ballroom and the last time they saw “Golden Road” live, our collective spirit embodied the principle of community.
Yet, in a whole world full of petty wars, “Throwing Stones” unfortunately seems to grow more relevant with each passing day. Political bullshit aside, it’s a fun song that set up one of the day’s highlights, “Cream Puff War”, driven by the insane timekeeping of drummer Dan Donovan, who would also provide an interesting bit of trivia during set break, “I wanted to make sure we worked this one into the setlist today since it’s the only tune (whose lyrics) were written by Garcia.” A short but combustible tune that the Grateful Dead only played in 1966 and 1967, Cosmic did it great justice on this most special day for Deadheads. That, I think, is the beauty of the Grateful Dead and the symbiosis they inspire between the musicians occupying their space and the deadheads taking it all in. Regardless of who’s holding the guitar, we’re all just fans (maybe fanatics would be more appropriate but let’s not parse words).
Another glorious original rocker followed, “Make Me Feel High,” as Wanda, Exalted Ruler of the Fraternal Order of Asbury Elks (I can’t shake the image of Fred Flinstone as Grand Poobah of the Royal Order of Water Buffaloes) made her way to the stage, seemingly intent on having a discussion with each band member during the middle of the song. Fully expecting a buzzkill announcement like “turn it down” or some shit like that, Wanda surprised me at the end of the song by taking the mic and welcoming us all while imploring us to “enjoy the music and the hospitality.” Poor timing aside, it was a nice message.
Taking the break as a chance to confess their hunger and ask for provisions, a familiar drumbeat signalled the start of “Samson & Delilah,” with bassist John “Jelly Roll” Nemeth taking lead vocals. John was a noticeable force on the bass all afternoon and I’m sure glad I had a hand in getting his mix turned up during soundcheck. “Wine Women Rock”, another original, this one with keyboardist Billy Siegel on lead vocals, was so good that one fan felt inspired to drop a tip in the bucket on stage left in the middle of the song.
Even when he’s not singing Dead tunes, Billy still has the Brent Mydland thing going on and I just love his vocals, this last being my favorite of the “Billy” tunes. Lead singer and guitarist Michael Jaskewicz went off script with the next one, a lovely version of Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece” before an explosive “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider” that closed the set 75 minutes and almost 10,000 steps later.
I love that this band, with a local and loyal following behind them, has the balls to play their own songs in key spots of the set. Opening the second set with “This Fire”, they continue to make the statement that they are so much more than a Dead cover band. I haven’t asked but I suppose that’s why they dropped “Jerry Band” from their moniker, as they seek to grow and develop their own material. I’ve now heard eleven original songs over two shows these past couple of weeks, and here’s to hoping there’s an album release on the horizon.
“Foolish Heart” is always a treat and Jaskewicz characteristically dazzled with both his guitar and his voice. “The Wheel” gave way to “Crooked Tree”, another rockabilly original that really slams as Siegel pounded the black and whites. Some fine setlist wizardry gave an emphatic Siegel the chance to continue stealing this segment of the show with the joyous “Hey Pocky Way” that followed. There would be no MVP, however, on this sun-soaked afternoon, as it was a total team effort. “Run For the Roses” was the first turn through the Jerry Garcia catalog before “We Are Divine,” an original dripping with proggy funk that was one of the best songs of the night, GD or otherwise.
During “Terrapin Station,” I closed my eyes and transported to another time and place, enjoying the simultaneous delicacy and raw power of a song that, from the first time I heard it, literally shaped the rest of my life. The Rolling Stone’s “Loving Cup,” even if it felt more like Phish’s version, rocked like the set closer that it could have been (my notes here simply read, “Sweet Jesus!”), even though there was still a “Loose Lucy” and a “Might As Well” on tap. Singing thank you, for a real good time!
I’d have gone home happy right then and there, fully spent having shared all of my love and energy with the band and the folks around me, but if the band was going to treat us to one (or three) more, I’d dig deep and continue to give all of myself right back. One more original was followed by a pair of JGB tunes, the powerful “Mission In the Rain” and the prayerful “Sisters and Brothers”. “Mission” has long been a personal favorite, a song by Robert Hunter that really paints a picture of the human condition.
Of this song, Garcia, in an interview, once said “Mission in the Rain” was “… a song that might be about me. It’s my life; it’s like a little piece of my life. Hunter writes me once in a while.” I felt every bit of that with Nemeth’s foreboding bass notes and Jaskewicz’ stirring vocals. As for “Sisters and Brothers”, what better way to close the day than with the hopeful gospel of Charles Johnson song popularized by the Jerry Garcia Band, “My Sisters and Brothers.” I’ll leave you with the power of its words …
I wanna say to my sisters and my brothers Keep the faithWhen the storm flies and the wind blows Go on at a steady pace When the battle is fought, and the victory’s won We can all shout together, we have overcome We’ll talk to the Father and the Son When we make it to the promised land If we walk together, little children We don’t ever have to worry Through this world of trouble We gotta love one another Let us take our fellow man by the hand Try to help him to understand We can all be together, forever and ever When we make it to the promised land
18,651 steps on the lawn of the Asbury Elks. Who’d have thunk it???
Setlist
Soundcheck: Beat It On Down the Line
Set One: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) > Viola Lee Blues, Set Me Free*, Throwing Stones > Cream Puff War > Make Me Feel High*, Samson & Delilah, Wine Women Rock*, When I Paint My Masterpiece, China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider
Set Two: This Fire*, Foolish Heart, The Wheel, Crooked Tree*, Hey Pocky Way, Run For the Roses, We Are Divine*, Terrapin Station, Loving Cup, Loose Lucy, Might As Well
Encore: unknown original, Mission in the Rain, My Sisters & Brothers
You’ve likely read the comment, “This album is ahead of its time,” but what does that even mean?
Just before the Talking Heads created their most critically acclaimed album, Remain in Light, the group was getting sick of talking to each other. David Byrne was considered “too controlling” by the other 75% of the band and like all rising rock stars, hinted at leaving the group in early 1980 to pursue his solo career. Lucky for music enthusiasts, art prevailed over war. The ‘70s are proof that tension in the recording studio has a track record of birthing masterful albums. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Pink Floyd’s The Wall and The Beatles’ Let It Be, stand the test of time in terms of compositional and lyrical genius, but nothing foreshadowed our current social and economic COVID-19 pandemic like the Talking Heads fourth studio release.
Remain In Light transformed a new-wave, post-punk quartet into a 10-piece worldbeat-funk band in just eight African-inspired tracks. And where there’s polyrhythmic improvisation, there is prophetic intellect. Evidence of Talking Heads time travel can be found in the album made public on October 8, 1980. Nearly 40 years later, the 40-minutes body of work speaks to our society more than ever.
BORN UNDER PUNCHES (THE HEAT GOES ON)
David Byrne greets the listener with, “Take a look at these hands,” an ode to obsessive hand washing during a time of paranoia, uncertainty, and cleanliness.
All I want is to breathe. I’m too thin. Won’t you breathe with me? Find a little space, so we move in-between. In-between it. And keep one step ahead, of yourself.
Look up symptoms of COVID-19, and find “shortness of breath or difficulty breathing” at the very top of the list. How can we prevent the spread? By creating a safe space (six-feet to be exact) between us.
Don’t you miss it, don’t you miss it.
Some ‘a you people just about missed it! Last time to make plans!
Well I’m a tumbler… I’m a Government Man.
The government men across the globe have canceled social gatherings to prohibit the spread. Before everyone had a chance to say their last goodbyes to each other, bars, restaurants, college campuses, sporting arenas, public parks, coffee shops, and libraries were closed down until further notice.
Never seen anything like that before.
The nation is under attack as we fight an overwhelming and unprecedented battle. Quarantined citizens are emotionally drained, sick patients are physically deteriorating, workers are financially crippled and hospital works are most of the above.
All I want is to breathe. Won’t you breathe with me. Hands of a Government Man. Find a little space so we move in-between. And keep one step ahead of yourself. Don’t you miss it! Don’t you miss it!
As compassionate people come together to praise essential works, conservative Americans are unable to face themselves at home as they fight to reopen and build a wall around logic. “Born Under Punches” describes a government turning a blind eye to human suffering, a lack of air, social distancing and unprecedented events. And that’s just the first track.
CROSSYEYED AND PAINLESS
David Byrne now plays a man gone mad from media.
Lost my shape
Trying to act casual
Can’t stop, I might end up in the hospital
Some die and some are asymptomatic, but all are impacted by COVID-19. Emotionally, physically, or socially. For the majority of Americans, a privileged, everyday life came to a screeching halt as cases began to skyrocket.
They’re back, to explain their experience.
In the age of social media, many stories are told, most are fake news. This disease was considered to be extremely deadly in some circles, yet many citizens have recovered, and even more may have had it without knowing.
I’m ready to leave I push the fact in front of me Facts lost Facts are never what they seem to be Nothing there! No information left of any kind Lifting my head Looking for danger signs
No right answer. Scientists and reporters are doing their best to report facts, but the paranoid public isn’t confident they are moving in the right direction.
The island of doubt It’s like the taste of medicine Working by hindsight Got the message from the oxygen Making a list Find the cost of opportunity Doing it right Facts are useless in emergencies
The White House ridiculed New York’s Governor Cuomo for asking about respirators. The cost of respirators was said to be too high as the governor tried preparing for the rising curve. Regardless of the emergency, egos and economics got in the way, deeming the facts useless.
Friends. Live Music. Incomes. Lives. Society as we know it. We are all “still waiting” to understand the next moves. “Get the message from the oxygen.” Speaking of curves, let’s move to the next track.
THE GREAT CURVE
Sometimes the world has a load of questions
Seems like the world knows nothing at all
The world is near but it’s out of reach
Some people touch it, but they can’t hold on
Who do we believe are the experts as the disease is studied more every day? Exiting our front door can be deadly. Our neighbors live next door, but it is against the rules to interact with them. Some ignore the rules and socially gather only to contract the disease and lose everything.
She is moving to describe the world Night must fall now-darker, darker She has messages for everyone Night must fall now-darker, darker
Byrne draws a connection between a woman and Mother Earth. Across the world, we see positivity and optimism from an environmental perspective. As we focus on the COVID-19 curve as a human race, there is a much bigger picture we are not concentrating on. The woman in this song is part human and part Earth and we need to protect her. She is shifting as some of the most densely packed cities in the world react to COVID-19.
A world of light, she’s gonna open our eyes up
For the first time in decades, densely populated cities like Punjab, India are experiencing the positive impact of global lockdown as the human-influenced smog lifts. They now open their eyes to the Himalayan Mountain peaks for the first time this millennium.
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
One of the Talking Heads most popular tracks might also be one of their most 2020 quarantine-relevant.
And you may find yourself
Living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself
In another part of the world
And you may find yourself
Behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house
With a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, well
How did I get here?
Remember in 2019 when people were not forced to remain inside and reflect? It was okay to be on autopilot and walk the streets or fields or cities in between and just be without being. In quarantine, we are tasked with the most impossible job of all—learning to cope with ourselves with little outside influence.
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down Letting the days go by, water flowing underground Into the blue again after the money’s gone Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
We stand over the sink, hands under the water, repeating the birthday song in hopes of resolving and removing the one-in-a-lifetime virus from each finger. We would love to return to a same as it ever was time, but it will likely be a new normal. Will we remain in our houses forever or return to the world we once knew? Or will it be a hybrid?
HOUSE IN MOTION
The second half of the album must disprove the notion of a sonic COVID-19 quarantine conspiracy, right? If you are currently pacing in your home, reading, thinking, moving, and wondering more than usual, then this one is for you.
I’m walking a line
I’m thinking about empty motion
I’m walking a line
Just barely enough to be living
Get outta the way (no time to begin)
This isn’t the time (so nothing was done)
Not talking about (not many at all)
I’m turning around (no trouble at all)
You notice there’s nothing around you, ’round you
I’m walking a line
Divide and dissolve
Good news, you get to leave your home and walk around the grocery store in a paranoid state. The aisles are blocked off, forcing you to treat your neighbors like Neanderthals. Saying hello isn’t the same without a mask and we can barely say goodbye without wondering what level of COVID-19 they left on us. The same beautiful house that was written about in “Once in a Lifetime” is the same place you escape to wash the outside-world filth from your potentially pandemic-covered hands.
I’m walking a line I hate to be dreaming in motion I’m walking a line Just barely enough to be living Get outta the way (no time to begin) This isn’t the time (so nothing was done) Not talking about (not many at all) I’m turning around (no trouble at all) I’m keeping my fingers behind me, ‘hind me I’m walking a line Divide and dissolve
Does this scare you? We are social creatures. We are supposed to be fully living and interacting with peers according to our elementary schooling. The narrator is crushing the idea of social contact and, instead, inviting the paranoia of his peers. Full-blown, introverted paranoia.
SEEN AND NOT SEEN
He would see faces in movies, on T.V., in magazines, and in books…
He thought that some of these faces might be right for him…
And through the years, by keeping an ideal facial structure fixed in his mind…
Or somewhere in the back of his mind…
Are we spending too much time streaming music, watching Netflix or staring in a mirror? The focus of this spoken-word-by-Byrne reflective track is post-pandemic physical appreciation. Who cares about what happened in 2019 if it’s possible to reinvent in 2020? We finally escape out of quarantine, but what is stopping us from impulsively mistaking our own identity? Should we redefine our social, physical and emotional selves, or is this a good spot to restart?
They may have picked an ideal appearance based on some childish
Whim, or momentary impulse…
Some may have gotten half-way
There, and then changed their minds.
He wonders if he too might have made a similar mistake.
Is the narrator saving face for the previously mentioned government man or is he just trying to act casual?
LISTENING WIND
What happens to people in countries that lack access to 5G or vaccines or respiration or clean water? Is Mother Nature watching out for her children or is it the lack of tourism that prevents their people from the global disease?
Mojique buys equipment in the marketplace Mojique plants devices in the free trade zone He feels the wind is lifting up his people He calls the wind to guide him on his mission He knows his friend the wind is always standing…by. Mojique smells the wind that comes from far away Mojique waits for news in a quiet place He feels the presence of the wind around him He feels the power of the past behind him He has the knowledge of the wind to guide him…on.
A return to nature. The wild is calling. What were the redefined terms of survival of the fittest in 1980 (or 2020)?
THE OVERLOAD
A dark, eerie, Brian Eno-driven piece closes the album with an apocalyptic exclamation point.
A terrible signal Too weak to even recognize
A gentle collapsing The removal of the insides I’m touched by your pleas I value these moments We’re older than we realize In someone’s eyes
Free healthcare was the topic of debate less than two months before 2020 changed America. Who is this “someone” Byrne speaks about? What is the underlying ignorance that haunts us throughout an album recorded in 1980?
A change in the weather A view to remember The center is missing They question how the future lies In someone’s eyes
We are reminded that Mother Earth is slowly healing during human dormancy, yet the pessimistic power of the composition reminds us that there is a serious problem. Midtown Manhattan’s Times Square is one of the most photographed locations in the world. A central hub of a global city. Currently, it’s empty and missing.
The gentle collapsing Of every surface We travel on the quiet road …the overload
The closing lyrics of the album are about as poignant as the opening. As local and state governments look for ways to reopen a social society, they call for extra hands to sanitize surfaces, and open up roads for people, not cars. Has Mother Nature finally forced us to abide by her rules or is our society too ignorant and self-centered to protect one another? Either way, the answer is overwhelming.
A favorite album will transport you to a time when you needed the music most. But an iconic album encapsulates the present, whether you like it or not. Remain in Light was written during the political, economic, and social injustices of the late ‘70s, yet it connects the same unprecedented, introspective, unusual feelings we have during a global pandemic – mask off and same as it ever was.
Hawkins has released their debut single, “Lights Off,” having arrived on the local music scene in New Haven, CT in May 2019. Hawkins is known for balancing energetic rock ‘n’ roll mixed with infectious hooky pop sophistication. The band consists of Hawkins French (vocals), Joseph Frank (guitar), Richard Frank (bass), and Joshua Frank (drums).
Their debut single is a pop rock anthem that blends soaring guitars, thunderous drums, and melodic bass lines along with the catchy hooks that you’ll hear in contemporary pop music. The subject matter of this track discusses the current superficial state of relationships and wanting more than just a one-night stand. This song intertwines their ability to create memorable pop hooks, lyrics that compel you to sing along, all balanced under a monumental sound that instantly demands the listener’s attention.
The band has performed on countless major stages across the East Coast. Notable performances include Mohegan Sun Casino, The Bitter End, Foxwoods Casino, and the Pleasantville New York Music Festival. In Pleasantville, the band shared the stage with illustrious acts such as Blues Traveler, Suzanne Vega, and Living Colour. In November they are still planning to headline at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre.
Speaking on “Lights Off” the band explains:
“This track evokes the feeling of when relationships don’t have a clear direction and are solely based upon superficiality. This is our commentary on the common tug of war that can occur in tumultuous relationships that people in their youth experience.”
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek thinks that it’s the artist’s own fault they aren’t making enough money because they aren’t putting out enough music. It’s been widely known that the popularity of streaming services instead of buying music from the artists or their labels has hurt the artists revenue but Daniel Ek is taking it to the next level by putting the blame on the artist for their measly payouts.
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, photo via Bloomberg.
Spotify has a market value of about $21 billion in 2019 and Daniel Ek himself has an estimated net worth of nearly $2 billion. According to Business of Apps article they say,“Estimates vary on how much a Spotify stream is worth to artist: from $0.006-0.0084 to as low as $0.00318/stream” at a pay rate of $0.006-0.0084 a stream it would take a million streams for an artist to make $7,000. In comparison the article states that, “Amazon Music tops the list in terms of average payment per stream on $0.01196/stream. YouTube Premium delivers $0.00803, Apple offers $0.00563, and Google Play $0.00551. Pandora’s rate, on the other hand, is even lower than Spotify, at $0.00151.” In the first quarter of 2020 Spotify’s revenue brought in $1.85 billion from Premium subscribers, while ad-supported users generated $161 million for the company.
Daniel Ek stated in an interview with Music Ally that, “There is a narrative fallacy here, combined with the fact that, obviously, some artists that used to do well in the past may not do well in this future landscape, where you can’t record music once every three to four years and think that’s going to be enough,” essentially putting the lack of revenue the artists own fault. Daniel Ek explained that, “ What tends to be reported are the people that are unhappy, but we very rarely see anyone who’s talking about… In the entire existence [of Spotify] I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single artist saying, ‘I’m happy with all the money I’m getting from streaming.” Which begs the question, are artists not working hard enough or are they just not being properly compensated for their work by streaming services?
Musicians are not happy about this mindset in the music industry that Daniel Ek has been promotin. Ben Albert of Rochester Groovecast thinks Daniel Ek’s remarks are, “Disrespectful” saying that, “Music is not a fast food chain.” The fact that Spotify’s CEO believes that artists aren’t working hard enough and should just turn out more music is disheartening to the music community particularly those who are on the road a lot and believe in creating more complex and artistically driven music. Gabriel Marin from Consider the Source spoke on this matter saying, “People like [Daniel] Ek seem to only look at pop and commercial music as how all music is made. Yes those forms of music are easy to make happen and often a whole career of someone in that field will be 3-4 years. Music that has more weight takes longer; bands that make a living and artistically thrive in a live setting can’t put albums out at a predictable pace like that.”
In times like these where COVID-19 is hitting the music industry harder than many industries it’s hard to understand how someone running one of the biggest music platforms can so easily criticize artists instead of supporting them. Justin Henricks of Wurliday and Beau Sasser’s Escape Plan chimed in on the matter saying that, “Spotify is in a very unique position of ability to offer some real aid and relief to an industry that is in dire need of it at the moment. Take a page from Bandcamp who offered to relinquish their revenue share and give 100% of their proceeds on specific days to the artists/labels. I find it appalling that not only has Spotify chosen to ignore their ability and responsibility to help in any way but have actually double downed to say Artists should work harder, churn more music into their billion dollar money making machine, and leave us all out to dry. Shame on them.”
Dopapod‘s Rob Compa shared a similar sentiment, saying “I don’t think Daniel Eck understands that touring was how bands like mine and many friends of ours was how we raised any money to record albums, let alone make a meager living. Now, with COVID, we can’t even do that. So if he expects us to produce album after album, where does he expect us to get the money to make them? To me, he’s a little like some general who’s never even been in a fight, telling all of us to get out of the trench and run into no man’s land.”
For more on this story and Ek’s point of view, read Music Ally’s original interview here.
