Just before Billy Joel started his Madison Square Garden residency in 2014, he played a “warm up” show at The Paramount in Huntington, Long Island on October 16, 2013, and I was one of the lucky 1500 people fortunate enough to be there. The concert benefitted Long Island Cares, a charity founded by singer/songwriter Harry Chapin.
This was Joel’s first Long Island concert since he played Nassau Coliseum with Elton John in 2002. Tickets to the show sold out in seconds and were listed on resale sites for ten times the face value. Many fans were frustrated to say the least as everyone wanted to be a part of this special occasion.
Fans began lining up hours before the show in hopes of getting as close as possible to the Piano Man. Walking up to the venue, all you can hear was Billy Joel songs being sang and blasted out of every bar and restaurant on New York Ave. Billy’s presence was certainly felt throughout the town that night. The excitement kept growing as it got closer to showtime at the Paramount. Finally the doors opened and the crowd rushed in.
When Billy Joel took the stage, the crowd roared just as load as it does for him at The Garden which is about ten times larger than The Paramount. After Joel opened the show with “Everybody Loves You Now” and “Movin Out”, he said “We’re not going to play all hits tonight, I’m tired of that”. He did sneak in a few deeper cuts like “A Room of Our Own”, “Great Wall of China” and even played “Blonde Over Blue”live for the first time ever, but there was also plenty of hits to go around. There is no way he is doing a show without playing his classics like “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” “New York State of Mind” and “Piano Man which the crowd sang along with to every word.
Joel and the rest of the band sounded phenomenal that night. Billy is my favorite artist and I was very lucky to be a part of that night. He then went on to start his residency at The Garden on January 27, 2014. Since then he has broken many records including most consecutive sold out shows and the record for the most shows at The Garden by a single performer, a record once held by Elton John and The Grateful Dead. His 74th consecutive monthly (120th all time) MSG show that was scheduled for March of 2020 had to be postponed due to Covid 19.
Setlist: Everybody Loves You Now, Movin Out, Vienna, The Entertainer, A Room of Our Own, She’s Right On Time, Allentown, The Great Wall of China, Miami 2017, New York State of Mind, This is the Time, Don’t Ask Me Why, Stop In Nevada, Downeaster Alexa, Blonde Over Blue, Scenes From an Italian Restaurant, The River of Dreams, Piano Man
Encore: We Didn’t Start the Fire, It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me, You May Be Right, Only the Good Die Young
Nada Surf‘s Matthew Caws has released a new political song, “When History Comes,” via Barsuk Records. Recorded and produced by Caws himself at his home studio, the song was created for the Rough Trade Publishing compilation Talk – Action = Zero, Vol. 2, which enlisted artists to write songs relevant to the current state of the world, with profits from the single benefitting the ACLU.
Formed in New York City in 1992 by Matthew Caws and Daniel Lorca, the Nada Surf gutiarist and bassist met at the Lycée Français de New York, with both having spent some of their childhoods in France and Belgium. A chance run in with Ric Ocasek would lead to The Cars frontman producing the band’s first album, High/Low. The band would be best known for their hugely successful 1996 single, “Popular,” although the groups catalog goes far deeper, now well into their third decade together.
Regarding the song, Matthew Caws wrote the following statement about the lyrics and timing of the release:
I was asked to contribute a song to a compilation organized by Rough Trade Publishing called Talk – Action = Zero Vol. 2, benefitting Spread The Vote, an organization helping people register and get their votes in. The prompt given was to write a song “relevant to the state of the world right now.” I chose to write about the election because I think it’s such a crucial moment in our lives.
I want to make a quick disclaimer (and pre-emptive apology) that I know that all of what i’m about to say will seem obvious to a lot of people, but I think it needs to be repeated. We’re always in danger of becoming numb. There’s such a circus of chaos coming from the top right now that it’s easy to get distracted from how far (and how quickly) the country is sliding in a dangerous direction..
The title of the song comes from a line in the chorus, “When history comes and sticks out its thumb / asking you for a ride / I hope that you see how fast it can be / it goes by in the blink of an eye.” In this analogy, by voting, you’re giving history a ride, helping it get where it wants to go.
Despite its difficult history and present, the United States is a precious and miraculous entity, an ambitious experiment in equality that has been functioning for 244 years, and we need to cherish and preserve it, and keep our essential norms from eroding. We need to understand how fragile our democracy is, faced with someone who is ready to call an election illegitimate before it takes place and won’t commit to a peaceful transfer of power.
In writing a song about an election your main choices are to try to energize and rally the potential voters on your side or try to speak to and influence the minds of people who are on the other side or undecided. I tried as much as I could to do both. I’ve been told that there is no point trying to change the mind of a Trump voter, that all our energy should go towards energizing the democratic base. That is probably true, but I can’t help believing that there’s a crack in that wall.
Over the past few years, I’ve found myself debating a few Trump supporters on social media, and invariably the conversations start a little hot. I’ve found that by keeping a measured tone and by looking for and respecting the cause of someone’s opinion, if not the opinion itself, it was always possible to bring down the temperature a little. One misconception that kept coming up was that all Democrats wanted Trump to fail. In the song I say “I didn’t want him to fail / I wanted him to do great / he didn’t / but I wanted him to.”
One of the great privileges of being a touring musician is getting to see people night after night being somewhere they chose to be,happy, open, ready to experience something. While it’s certain that among all the faces I’ve looked at from the stage there have been people with opposing political views, and probably some with wildly different views about equalities of all kinds, I always felt a human connection. I think almost all people have more in common than not.
I think it’s important to refrain when possible from calling out or dismissing any whole group. Even though at this point, I don’t understand how one could support this very problematic administration, I wanted to say “I don’t hate republicans” because… I don’t. Despite my commitment to humanism and constructive positivity feeling totally innate, I’m conscious of the fact that if I’d been born into a different environment and community and hadn’t been exposed to certain ideas, I might be a Trump supporter too.
My wife often points out that the world would be a much better place if every government decision taken took into account how it would affect the poorest and most vulnerable parts of the population. I agree. This calls for a lot of empathy, a quality in us that needs to be cultivated, checked in on and renewed. We drift in our comfort, we drift in our bubbles. It is always a good time to look around, try to see, try to understand, and re-evaluate our priorities. The common good should always be the ultimate goal. That is the basis for a great country, and despite our growing pains, that has always been the basis for ours.
The new single “Heartbeat,” just released by Brooklyn-based Middle Part is upbeat and catchy, with a dreamy sounding synth. Middle Part says the song is centered around that chaotic feeling somebody in their 20’s can feel when they’re learning to navigate life or what is “the point of it all.”
“Heartbeat” is the new single from his upcoming EP, Wish I Was Alive. His new EP was inspired by his personal experiences, his shortcomings, his struggle with depression, dissociation and overall loss.
“Middle Part” was born when singer Andrew Selkōw needed time to self-reflect, and moved to the deepest parts of Northern Alaska after experiencing a major meltdown. Selkōw had turned a new lead and even in the Alaskan wilderness, expressed his strong passion for music and literature. “Art is important, Andrew says, no matter how you decide to approach it. There’s no age or formula so just create. It’s the most healing form of therapy I’ve ever experienced.”
His last single was added to Spotify’s popular Fresh Finds and Indie Fresh Finds and received many plaudits from many outlets such as American Songwriter, Earmilk, Culture Collide and much more. “& Cry” has both a 90’s and modern approach, with either influence not drowning the other one out.
The song’s message insists on emotional release through the pitfalls of that said emotion. Selkōw explains, “I think it’s supposed to be a very romantic plot but it has this dark side of not being entirely there if that makes sense.
You want all these things, you think it’s great, but you’re mentally unfit to take it on. You don’t understand why, so just cry, it’s okay…I’m here.” The song is out now on Spotify and Youtube. You can also find out more about Middle Part on Instagram and Twitter.
Long Island’s favorite holiday spectacular is returning to Jones Beach State Park. Magic of Lights presented by New York Community Bank starts November 13th and runs until January 2nd. The light show will run Monday-Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Brought to you by FunGuys LLC and Live Nation Entertainment this year’s light show will be completely drive-thru. Stacked with newly themed LED lighting displays and digital animations including The Blizzard Tunnel. Another special feature is the all new illuminating mega tree spectacular. Also, attendees can experience old favorites such as The 12 Days of Christmas, Winter Wonderland, and The Night Before Christmas.
Adam Citron, GM of Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater gave this statement in the press release:
“It is with great pleasure that we announce the return of Magic of Lights to Jones Beach. It will be wonderful to welcome our patrons to celebrate the holidays with our drive through light show. We are especially happy to once again brighten up everyone’s holiday season at Jones Beach in partnership with the NY State Parks & promise a fun-filled family night in the safety of your car.”
While there may have been no concerts at Jones Beach due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with new safety measures in place the holidays certainly won’t be left out in the cold. Guests are to stay in their vehicles throughout the display to ensure the utmost safety of everyone.
“The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is excited to welcome back the Magic of Lights show to Jones Beach State Park. In partnership with Live Nation and Magic of Lights, the drive-thru light display will provide fun for the whole family in a safe, enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere viewed from the safety of your vehicle.
State Park’s Commissioner Erik Kulleseid
In 2019 Magic of Lights donated more than $150,000 to local Long Island organizations in addition to collecting non-perishable food items, toys, books, coats and more for those who needed it the most. This year’s charity nights will be announced in the coming weeks.
Discounted Early Bird tickets are now available through Oct. 31. Enter promo code LIGHTS at www.ticketmaster.com when purchasing. All tickets purchased online can be used for any show date. Visitors can receive $3 off weekday admission by bringing two non-perishable food items or a winter coat for donation.
In his all-too-short life, Frank Zappa composed and captured on tape a truly monumental amount of music. Sixty-two official albums in his lifetime, and another 54 since his death in 1993. But as any Zappa fan knows, these could just be the sonic appetizer, the bread sticks before the massive feast of stylistically varied, all-you-can-eat musical courses that remain unreleased.
Frank pretty much recorded everything – rehearsals, live performances, studio sessions, casual jams, conversations in hotels and tour buses – and it has all ended up in his mighty “vault.” How much you ask? Well, Joe Travers, Zappa’s dedicated “Vaultmeister,” has spent 25 years thus far digitally transferring and cataloging it. And he estimates he may only be halfway through this immense collection, which contains thousands of hours of audio and video in every format under the sun.
It’s all now under the savvy stewardship of Frank’s son, Ahmet, who developed his biz acumen producing children’s books, animation and video for the likes of Disney and Sony. The gems that are now consistently emerging from Frank’s vault are finally getting the super smart, super deluxe treatment they deserve. The recent Zappa boxes are expansive and authoritatively notated encyclopedias of his many eras of sound, ones befitting one of the true geniuses, and legendary perfectionists, of 20th Century modern music.
With Ahmet’s background in kids’ content, it’s no wonder that Zappa’s Halloween shows are some of Zappa Records/UMe’s most entertaining and outrageously packaged offerings to date. The latest, which follows box sets dedicated to Halloween shows from Frank Zappa of 1973 and 1977, is Halloween 81; and boy, is this one a doozy!
Zappa’s Halloween shows in NYC were a nearly annual tradition, from 1974 – 1984. When he returned to NYC’s Palladium in 1981 for a five-show run from October 29 to November 1, he was primed to impress. This was mainly because he had to cut short his 1980 Halloween shows due to illness.
As always, Zappa was boasting a hot band, now supercharged with three, remarkable new virtuosos – Scott Thunes on bass, Chad Wackerman on drums and Robert Martin on keyboards. They joined veteran guitarist/vocalist Ray White, percussionist Ed Mann, keyboard whiz Tommy Mars and the jaw-dropping Steve Vai, his “Little Italian Virtuoso,” then on his second tour as “stunt guitarist.”
Zappa recorded every note of every show with a mobile unit, and the two Halloween night shows on video as well. Halloween’s midnight performance became the first cable simulcast on a fledgling channel called MTV; while other footage ended up in The Dub Room Special (1983) and The Torture Never Stops (1982). Though parts of these concerts have been released over the years as part of the You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore live series, The Dub Room Special soundtrack and One Shot Deal, audio from the complete shows has never been released in its entirety, until now..
Halloween 81 features all of the musically smoking Frank Zappa, hijinks-filled Halloween night concerts, and the closing show on November 1. It sprawls across six-discs, featuring 78 unreleased tracks totaling more than seven hours of music, in superior fidelity, as always with Zappa. More context comes in the accompanying 40-page booklet, featuring rare photos and liner notes by band member Robert Martin, Joe “The Vaultmeister” Travers and super fan-in-attendance Gary Titone.
Like its predecessors, Halloween 81 comes in packaging which, at first glance, looks like it contains a Halloween costume, which it does, along with the CDs and booklet.
Right through the cellophane you are greeted with an adult-sized COUNT FRANKULA mask, along with a red and black cape. Why? So you can dress like a “vampire” Frank Zappa on Halloween, as many fans did at the Halloween shows I attended over the years. Superfans will no doubt display it alongside their FRANKenZAPPA mask and gloves from 2019’s Halloween 73box, and the retro Zappa mask and costume from 2017’s Halloween 77. As you will see from the photo here, the Halloween sets are a great way for fans to indoctrinate their youngsters into the singular, virtuosic hilarity of Zappa’s Mothermania, at an ideally impressionable age and occasion!
Listening to this collection has been a real revelation for me. I was a Zappa devotee nearly from the jump, of the original Mothers of Invention of the late 60s Uncle Meat/Burnt Weeny Sandwich era, and the Roxy & Elsewhere/Overnight Sensation band of the mid-70s, featuring keyboard giant George Duke, the incredible marimba of Ruth Underwood, the bass and trombone of Tom and Bruce Fowler, sax playing singer Napolean Murphy Brock, etc. By the time 81 came around, my interest in Zappa was getting diluted with my growing passion for jazz, electronica and alternative music.
Halloween 81 includes astounding musicianship, from all on hand, but especially Zappa. Frank may have been at the apex of his “Guitar God” phase then, pushed perhaps by Steve Vai, a superfan who first gained his attention by sending Frank notations of his knotty solos. Zappa and Vai’s mind-altering guitar prowess is here in spades. The prime courses come in “The Black Page #2,” “Easy Meat,” “Stevie’s Spanking,” “Black Napkins,” “King Kong,” “The Torture Never Stops” and even a cover of The Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post.” Zappa’s new album of the time, You Are What You Is, is naturally showcased heavily, with its cover track, “Teen-Age Wind,” “Goblin Girl,” “Doreen,” “I’m A Beautiful Guy,” “Mudd Club,” “Dumb All Over” and the rollicking boogie, “Suicide Chump.” The chamber rock brilliance of “Zappa, the Serious Composer,” comes across strong in the multiple takes of tracks like “Envelopes” and the slippery modal majesty of “Sinister Footwear II.”
By this era, politics and sex were the central thrust of Frank’s lyrics. Tunes like “Heavenly Bank Account” and “The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing,” protesting the profiteers of mega churches and conservative politics, seem even more relevant today. His controversial views and sense of humor on love and sex are here in “Harder Than Your Husband,” “Teenage Prostitute” and “Bobby Brown Goes Down.” These tunes stand as evidence that this may have been one of Frank’s most enjoyable bands vocally, with White and Mann contributing strong lead and harmony vocals and suitably snarky phrasing.
Frank Zappa has always been one of my favorite musicians and, in some ways, a surrogate father. He taught me the importance of pursing the creativity life, personal discipline and, in a weird way, civics. Zappa was a good citizen in a democracy by questioning the status quo, the importance of being a free man in a free world of free ideas.
For a short time after his death, I was worried about his legacy. Jim Morrison didn’t have a tenth of the talent, or produce 1/1000th of the work, but he was being deified and mega-marketed to new generations of fans, along with other dead rockers who couldn’t hold a candle to Zappa in my opinion.
Then along came Frank’s eldest son, Dweezil. In 2006, he picked up the mantle and the music to apostle it to tens of thousands of fans old and new, at hundreds of shows in all corners of the globe.
A “Zappa Plays Zappa” show is a beauty to behold. There’s Dweezil himself, arguably one of the greatest and most sorely underrated guitarists on the planet, leading a band of young virtuosos through all eras and forms of his father’s rigorous music. He’s breaking our hearts again and again, with conservatory level recitations of Zappa’s classic albums, accented with the same uniquely astounding guitar style.
Then along was comes Ahmet. Since 2015, he’s been doing his equally vital part with the unique talents he developed over his career – as a conceptualizer, producer, promoter and, yes, a world class brand strategist for all things Frank.
What Ahmet has done since he took the helm of the Zappa Family Trust is remarkable. With recent releases like this, and last year’s splendid six-CD Hot Rats Sessions and the forthcoming Alex Winter documentary, he is further spotlighting the brilliance of Frank Zappa, by digging deeper into the seemingly inexhaustible well of musical wonder he created over his brief but action-packed 52 years.
Releases like this are laying important new cornerstones for a deeper appreciation of all that is Frank Zappa. They are the thick and tasty textbooks that show the evolution of his music, through each classic album and era.
Key Tracks: Sinister Footwear II (10/31/81, second show), Heavenly Bank Account (10/31/81, first show), Stevie’s Spanking (11/1/81)
Brooklyn-based indie rock band, The Next Great American Novelist (NGAN), recently released their second record, Careless Moon. The DIY psych band is known for their electric and energetic live shows, where vocal harmonies showcased on the album can surround audiences in a way that even the most high-end speakers couldn’t capture.
One track, “Ice Moon,” won Best Music Video from the Harlem International Film Festival and won Best Dance Video from the Paris Underground Music Festival.
Songwriter and singer Sean Cahill of The Next Great American Novelist describes each track:
Blackberry – “This song is about insatiable lust; Finding peace in being selfish and embracing that desire. It came from a memory of being a child, standing in front of a massive blackberry vine and reaching through its thorns to get the fruit. As pretentious as our band name may make us seem, we keep the lyrics pretty simple in telling a story. The upbeat pacing and dynamics were a good way to open the record.
When we were in the studio, we became enchanted with playing the mellotron and found every excuse to use it. We played with atmospheric sounds to float into a psychedelic range.
Sometimes all it takes is a delay pedal to tap into feelings of nostalgia and give the impression of a memory. For a while I felt guilty about playing music, playing shows, as if it was a shameful or self-serving pursuit. After some reflection, I’m realizing that music is the best way I can spend my time, as it brings more light into the darkness and opens up an avenue for sharing joy.”
Gravity’s Rainbow – “The title is a tip of the hat to Thomas Pynchon, author of the post-modern classic, Gravity’s Rainbow. Though, you’d be hard pressed to find any other reference to the book in the song lyrics, rather we took inspiration from that colorful title. I wanted to explore the romance of celestial bodies moving through space, locked in a dance with one another like the planets to the sun or the moon to the earth. It is similar to the experience of falling in love, when you see someone across the room and you are helplessly attracted to them.
Our band will use any excuse to use delay pedals and Mellotron so there’s a heavy dose of those vibey-studio effects on here. One of my favorite moments recording this was during the last chorus, we stacked my voice on several different tracks and ran it through a rotary speaker. The effect makes it sound like an old organ playing but it’s really just my voice stacked in a three-part harmony.”
Bad Animation– “I wanted to have as much fun as possible with three chords. The lyrics were written as a stream of consciousness. I wanted to sing a rock anthem because you don’t hear too many of them out today.”
Baby Duck Song– “A few years ago I decided to read all the books I could on how to make money making music. I found that the biggest demand came from Christian record labels seeking to license songs. I am agnostic, so I knew that wasn’t going to work for me, but it lead me to think, ‘can I write a song about something I don’t care about?’
So I gave myself a prompt to explore a subject I normally wouldn’t write about: a baby duck. The song became a story of a duck who wanders from its family and explores a state of wonder and terror as they move through the world alone.”
It’s Been You – “This song is about finding someone who you can be brutally honest with. I was aiming in genre of soul. Also, I think there are enough minor seventh chords in there to claim a fingerprint of jazz too. It’s about surrendering to the one you love and finding bliss in the moments you hear them singing along to their favorite song.”
This one’s pretty on the nose as a 90’s alternative banger. It unabashedly harkens back to the drum thuds in Queen’s, “We Will Rock You,” and the modern classic stomp pedal chorus you’ll hear on an early Weezer song. I was looking to find a way to use words like “innocuous” and “neurosis” in a song without being pretentious.
Wicked
Drag – “I love New York City, though, some days it feels like a dysfunctional landscape of ill-routine. Living here, you realize you’re functionally necessary but of small significance or importance within the larger enterprise. I’m immersed in a series of habits: standing in line, getting on a train, heading to work, buying coffee, buying booze… Are these choices I want to make or am I just keeping the machine going?”
I was going through a break up and it felt more like a death to me than the end of a romance. Kübler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist wrote about the five stages of grief in her groundbreaking book, On Death and Dying. This song draws those comparisons to the experience of losing a lover; the process of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
Kubler
Thursday – “This one is a fast moving blender of blues and Americana influences. It’s a love song about psychedelics with some dark commentary on what it feels like to be in love with someone in the age of porn. It starts with a surf rock feel, drenched in reverb then builds into a blues progression.There are no words in the chorus, just a guitar riff. We felt that it said enough.”
Ice Moon – “This song is a reflection on living as an artist. I was working working shit jobs ad nauseam, alienated and finding relief in psychedelic dreams only available in inner life. Creating or performing felt fruitless, a vanity project, which in this age feels deplorable considering our culture, from top to bottom, is focused entirely on benefiting yourself. When you devote your life to performing, the benefits don’t happen immediately, they come sometime in the future, when you can look back and see the impressions you left and what that meant to someone else.
There is a difference between chasing dreams when you’re 23, wet behind the ears in New York City and being 31, in a place saturated with world class talent and insurmountable bills. Whatever choice I make turns into some struggle, it might as well be the right one. Either way I’m sacrificing something. Making art allows you a feeling of impermanence, unlike many other forms of industry.”
For more information on The Next Great North American Novelist, visit their website.
Flashback to October 13 and 14, 2018. Nine Inch Nails played two sold out shows at New York’s iconic Radio City Music Hall. It was apart of NIN Cold and Black and Infinite tour. Other major stops included Red Rock in Colorado, and the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
The 26 date tour concluded in December 2018 with four nights at The Palladium in Los Angeles. The tour came in support of the new NIN album Bad Witch, which was the third and final instalment in a trilogy series that began in 2016.
The Jesus and Mary Chain opened the show. Back in the day, JAMC had taken NIN on the road as openers. This time Trent and co returned the favor. Their set was awesome. A killer lightshow, and great sound highlighted their career span on songs “Just Like Honey” and “Some Candy Talking.” It was cool to see them with NIN all those years later, especially at Radio City.
NIN switched up their Radio City set considerably from night one. The first four songs were from The Fragile. On October 13, no songs from the album were played. They also drew from The Downward Spiral including “Piggy,” “Closer,” and “The Becoming.” It was strange they didn’t play anything from their newest album “Bad Witch,” flashing back to their archives only.
Another highlight was “Burn,” a song from a great movie and soundtrack, Natural Born Killers. NIN did not disappoint with favorite “Help Me I’m in Hell” as part of the encore. The only similarities between night one and night two was – “Head Like A Hole” closed the pre-encore set and “Hurt” closed the entire show.
One of the first concerts I ever attended was NIN at Nassau Coliseum in 1994. It is amazing to see how much this band has evolved over the years, especially at Radio City Music Hall. Their music is still ahead of its time now as it was back then. Although industrial music started sometime in the 1970’s, bands like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry were credited for making the genre popular, bringing it into the mainstream.
Setlist: Somewhat Damaged, The Day The World Went Away, The Frail, The Wretched, The Beginning of the End, Survivalism, Piggy, Burn, La Mer, Closer, The Becoming, I Can’t Give Everything Away, The Lovers, The Great Destroyer, Burning Bright, Head Like A Hole.
Encore: Help Me I’m In Hell, Happiness In Slavery, Even Deeper, Hurt
After a groundbreaking debut album — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) — and a host of successful solo projects (GZA’s Liquid Swords, Method Man’s Tical, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, to name a few), the clan were in high-demand. They had accomplished a rare feat in the world of music. It established many of their members as individual stars, whose popularity could rival the group’s.
The ego that accompanies success of such magnitude is liable to create division within any faction. It helped break up the Fugees. The clan is no ordinary group. Displaying their idiosyncrasy within a world of hip hop came with the release of their second LP, 1997’s Wu Tang Forever. The lead single “Triumph,” was a record that rang through the air waves. It was the first (and only) song where all nine Clan members rapped on. Moreover, it also introduced affiliate and later member Cappadonna.
The record ran for 5 minutes and 38 seconds, with no chorus or break, except for the energetic opening monologue from Ol’ Dirty Bastard and a short interlude. Inspectah Deck began the track, followed by Method Man, Cappadonna, ODB’s interlude, U-God, RZA, GZA, Masta Killa, Ghostface Killah, with Raekwon concluding the record.
About the Track
In an interview with Power 106 radio station, RZA broke down the production on the record. He divulged that they recorded “Triumph” in Los Angeles. Musically he combined his new Yamaha keyboard V71 series with his ASR-10, MPC and Nord lead keyboard. His goal was to make a track with classical sounds, but still grab hip-hop with a touch of soul. While the drums meet classic hip hop, the strings added a new element.
When asked about not having a chorus, he explained that for every Wu-Tang project, he wanted to have a song that reminded the people of their first record “Protect Ya Neck” with great rapping and a strong beat to compliment.
Speaking to DJ Vlad, Inspectah Deck — whose opening verse is one of the most-heralded in hip hop history — he acknowledged that using his “Triumph” verse twice helped his legacy, as it was originally recorded for Tony Touch’s 50 MC’sVol. 1 tape. RZA made the beat at around 5 a.m., as he and Ol Dirty Bastard were the only ones up. Inspectah Deck explains he could hear the kicks and snares from his room. He knew it was a smash-hit. He got up and asked to get on the record. Later that day the rest of the group had jumped on as well, because his verse was so outstanding.
Sampled to Example
“Triumph” samples “Just Found Me” and its multiple elements of soul, disco and fuck music, by the Rance Allen Group. It also sampled “To the Garden of the Temple” from the 1983 film Duel to the Death, and some lyrics from “Da Mystery of Chessboxin” from the Clan’s own 36 chambersLP.
Besides the mind-blowing lyrics and production, “Triumph” is known for its incredible video, with Rush Hourdirector Brett Ratner behind the camera. It was one of the more expensive music videos of 1997 costing around $800,000. The video begins with breaking news: a massive swarm of killer bees attacking New York. Ol Dirty Bastard is up on a skyscraper surrounded by police helicopters and officers with their guns drawn.
Interesting enough, ODB wasn’t actually in the video. Always one to act on a whim, Ol’ Dirty was uninterested in filming the video since he didn’t have an official verse, he left the set before filming began. It forced the director to get a stand in.
Inspectah Deck is seen climbing the side of the building when “ODB” jumps off, as the bees follow in his path. Meanwhile Method Man and the other Clan members arrive on motorcycles, shooting fireballs at the bees. The bees are then seen passing through Cappadonna’s lair while U-God is seen burning down the forest. RZA appears with angel-like wings, later transforming into the killer bees and killing the Alcatraz prison guards. We then see GZA from space viewing the mayhem. A celestial God like figure.
During GZA’s verse there is a brief cut to the 1915 film The Birth of a Nation, he then makes a gesture to the bees and they swarm back down to Manhattan in the form of Masta Killa who stood on a tower in the form of the Wu-Tang Symbol. A crowd gathering around him. At the end of the video, the bees make their way to a club where Ghostface and Raekwon are raping, with Quincy Jones is in the audience.
One of the strangest and creative visuals in hip hop history “Triumph” changed how people looked at videos all together.
Lyrical Highlights
While he didn’t have an official verse, Ol’ Dirty Bastard left his mark in his own unique way.
“What? Y’all thought y’all wasn’t gonna see me?
I’m the Osiris of this shit
Wu-Tang is here forever, motherfuckers
This like, this ’97”
Inspectah Deck began the song with his now-legendary verse that made him known as hip hop’s “set it off” man. He makes listeners immediately wake up with his intricate rhyme patterns and word choices, taking over the record.
“I bomb atomically, Socrates’ philosophies and hypotheses
Can’t define how I be dropping these mockeries
Lyrically perform armed robbery
Flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me
Battle-scarred Shogun, explosion when my pen hits tremendous
Ultraviolet shine blind forensics
I inspect you through the future see millennium
Killa Beez sold fifty gold, sixty platinum
Shackling the masses with drastic rap tactics”
Cappadonna rapped like he had something to prove being that he had to live up to what the others were doing. He wasn’t an official member at that point but you couldn’t tell with how he was flowing.
“I twist darts from the heart, tried and true
Loop my voice on the LP
Martini on the slang rocks, certified chatterbox
Vocabulary ‘Donna talking, tell your story walking”
Creating A Legacy
“Triumph” is one of Wu-Tangs most legendary tracks and it holds a special place in hip hop history. Their rapping ability was never in doubt, but the music video gave them a chance to showcase their visual creativity. As we look back at some of Wu-Tangs best tracks, “Triumph” stands the test of time because it epitomizes Wu-Tang Forever and as the lead single it exceeded expectations, as many radio stations and labels initially didn’t want to run the record because they felt it was too long. It’s safe to say, the Clan proved all doubters wrong.
Brooklyn alternative quintet, Gooseberry, evolves with their third 2020 single “When I’m Gone.” Their inception began last fall. It takes form of an elusive fruit – a ploy to keep listenes guessing, or, a disregard of boarders in their infinite musical exploration.
The band collides at an unpredicted crossroads of endless influence. Blues, jazz, soul, rock and R&B genres meet. Yet they create and audibly different constant. Each flavor is interjected, shapeshifting the whole.
“When I’m Gone” sounds familiar, like a sitcom intro with an alternative edge. The intro sweeps you up with an airy keyboard melody from Sam Rappaport. Asa ‘Baked Goods’ Daniels on guitar hints at a more explosive end. The band caries on.
Drummer Colin Ashen and Bassist Will Hammond keep a solid backbone for the bands energetic bursts and ever-blooming hook. There’s something ear-catching at ever bar, including a clever placement of vibraslap.
Each chorus grows into a more indie sound. The band flourishes as they stew on the title lyric. Ashen’s drums sweep into an open ride crescendo and Gooseberry takes on in an explosive indie-jam band fashion. Something they’ve only hinted at throughout each verse. Daniels amps-up, showing of his ear-grabbing guitar work.
The song highlights the band’s eclectic range of influences, showing resonances of classic rock, 70’s soul, and the piano-forward pop of artists like Randy Newman and Carole King. When I’m Gone is a lamentation over the certainty of loss and an ode to those we leave behind in the search for higher ground.
Gooseberry, on “When I’m Gone”
The album art is elusive and colorful, paring well with Gooseberry’s musical intent. Each part melts together. It shape-shifts the whole. The door is wide open to explore.
“Berkshires” goes back to major influences like D’Angelo, Donny Hathaway, and Stevie Wonder, while their newest, “The Protagonist,” showcases a more alternative/indie sound in the styles of the Foo Fighters, Courtney Barnett, Arctic Monkeys, and Spoon. Before the pandemic, Gooseberry had a biweekly residency at Harefield Road in Brooklyn, where they were steadily growing a devoted audience around their live shows. They had been gigging fairly regularly in and around New York City, running the full gamut of venues from The Cobra Club to DROM to house shows across the boroughs.
Manhattan-based non profit, The Kitchen, will premier of The Brooding Exercises. The video project can be viewed at The Kitchen OnScreen, the venue’s virtual streaming platform on October 16-18. Times will be announced closer to the premier date.
The video is in response to the cancellation of a previous project, Vivification Exercises. The video project stars Ka Baird and Max Eibacher. Organizer Matthew Lyons, Ross Karre (Audiovisual Supervisor and Camera), Merve Kayan (Camera), and Caley Monahon-Ward (Audio Assistance) round out the production team.
Ka Baird is an American multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, producer and performer based in New York City. Baird is known for raw, ecstatic, boundary-pushing live solo performances. Energetic body movements, extended vocal techniques, luminous flute percussion/meditations and innovative use of live electronics fuse to create the concept of ‘body music.’ Centered in radical present tense and vigorous expression, the performances seek extreme release, both through physical exertion and psychic extension.
Ka Baird’s latest recording Respires was included on Pitchfork’s Best Experimental Albums of 2019 list. In addition, Baird is a founding member of the legendary psych-folk/avant-garde group Spires That In The Sunset Rise, founded in Chicago in 2001.
Max Eilbacher is an Baltimore-based intermedia artist who works primarily makes abstract computer music. The sound is an eclectic mix of electroacoustic, musique concréte composition and process intensive computer music.
Soon to celebrate its 50th year in 2021, The Kitchen remains one of New York City’s most forward-looking nonprofit spaces. Programs range from dance, music, theater to video and film. All programs aim to showcase ingenious work of emerging and established artists alike. Known as the epicenter of the New Wave avant garde music genre in the late 70s, The Kitchen was home to many successful artists like Glenn Branca and Lydia Lunch.
In July 2020 OnScreen program formed to host online program offerings, including virtual performances, livestreamed events, and newly published texts.
