Nine Inch Nails to Headline Concert Exclusively For Relief Workers in New Orleans

I am not a fan of Nine Inch Nails, but I have to say that this is pretty cool! Also on the bill is Queens of the Stone Age and New York Dolls (well, two of them -- the rest are dead).

By Gelu Sulugiuc (Reuters)

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor promises to deliver a jolt of industrial rock to weary relief workers in New Orleans this weekend.

The Grammy-winning group will headline the Voodoo Music Experience on Saturday -- a free, invitation-only show for police, firefighters, military, National Guard and rescue personnel working in the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

The two-day festival, originally set for New Orleans on the October 31 Halloween weekend, was moved to Memphis, Tennessee, after Katrina slammed into the Gulf in August.

Now, at Reznor's urging, half of the festival will take place in New Orleans.

"My manager and I were discussing if it would be feasible to actually have it in New Orleans to send the message out that the city isn't dead," the former New Orleans resident told Reuters on Thursday.
Read the rest here

My Spiel on KISS

The following rant is something I published under another name on a different blog. It was originally published in July 2004, and I ended that blog in August of 2004. I wrote it because VH1 was about to air a show that they produced called When KISS Ruled the World. I was skeptical that it would be good. I was wrong. It was excellent. It still airs every now and then. The recent talk of a protest at the RnR Hall of Fame made me think that I had written something about that a long time ago. Well, there is a brief mention of the situation at the end of this article. That will have to do.

KISS in 1973 as a club band. Paul still had the old make-up

I am planning on watching VH1's "When KISS ruled the world" tonight. No doubt it will be an entertaining show (a little short if you ask me, I mean one hour for a band with a 30+ year career?), but what it will not focus on and probably not even mention, is the unceremonious way that Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were fired last year.

I have been a KISS fan as long as I can remember. I "musically came of age" in the 80s. This was not the best time to be a KISS fan. Their "glory days" had long been over; they weren't packing the arenas and selling millions of albums anymore. Don't get me wrong, they were still great in my 12-year-old eyes, but I now realize they were not on top of their game.

KISS in 1983 still sold a decent amount of records. Most of their 80s releases went gold (500K) or platinum (1 million) in America. I don't care who you are, that's still a good amount of records. But, it wasn't triple platinum or quadruple-duple platinum, or whatever they were selling in the 70s. But, a band can have only one "heyday" right?

What happened to this great band? Well, that my friends would take a team of psychologists and a novel to explain. So, I will try and simplify. KISS got caught up in their mega-success and every decision was based around how to maintain and expand that success. KISS tried disco, pop, whatever was hip at the time, in order to stay on the charts. The problem, in a nutshell, is that KISS started as a band that defied the trends, ignored fashion, ignored critics, and succeeded on their own terms. They made their name on constant touring, not on getting Top 40 radio airplay. KISS got lost. They forgot what made them.

KISS sacked Peter Criss in 1980. In all honesty, Peter is only a mediocre drummer. His songwriting leaves a lot to be desired, as well. He does have a good, raspy, Rod Stewart-esque, voice that lent itself well to songs other band members would write for him ("Hard Luck Woman" "Strange Ways"). He also gave KISS one of their only hits, with the sappy balad "Beth." Well, by 1979 Peter wasn't even playing on the records, he was screwing up in concert, and was a basic pain-in-the-ass. Maybe it was a good idea to let him go -- in 1980.

Peter was replaced by Eric Carr. Eric was a much better drummer, and more importantly for KISS, didn't give Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley any shit. Eric got his own make-up design, and got a taste of the superstar KISS when he did the 1980 tours of Europe and Australia. KISS was sort of over in the US, but was bigger than ever in the rest of world. Eric was a great guy, and deserves his own postings. I will get back to my main point...

With Peter gone, Ace Frehley became unhappy in the band. He was probably unhappy before, but he was 50% of the decision making with Peter, he was much less than that now. Ace wanted KISS to ignore the current trends and get back to making basic, party all night, rock n roll. Gene and Paul countered Ace's idea with a ridiculous concept album called "Music from the Elder." It is a piece of crap. KISS admits this now.

Ace quit in 1982 following the Elder disaster. He appeared on the cover of one more LP, but did not play on that record. I am not ignoring Peter and Ace's drug and alcohol problems. They were factors in their getting fired, or having their roles minimized. However, having a "wild card" as it were in the band, made it more interesting for the fans. Ace might have been wasted, but he still sounded great. Peter....well, it might have had more of an effect.

KISS soldiered on throughout the 1980s with Eric Carr and a slew of guitar players. Sadly, Eric Carr died in 1991 from cancer. All throughout this time there were rumours of a possible re-union of the original members, but it never happened.

By the mid-90s KISS had a solid, no-make-up line-up with Gene, Paul, Eric Singer, and Bruce Kulick. They made a decent album with "Revenge," but in the midst of the alternative, grunge explosion it was ignored. The band started getting nostalgic, and began putting on their own KISS travelling conventions. Fans had been doing this for years, but now the band put it's official stamp on it. This also meant that the band would be at the convention. They began doing an acoustic set made up of classics and some more obscure album cuts. The fans loved hearing the older songs again which had been virtually ignored for the previous decade.

I won't go on and on about the situation leading up to the reunion of Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter. It happened in 1996 as a result of the conventions, and it seemed like the hatchets had truly been buried. KISS was cautious in the undertaking. Gene and Paul remembered their former buddies' bouts of unreliability, and Ace and Peter remembered their old friends' controlling ways. After a test run appearance at the American Music Awards, the band went for it. And it worked out gloriously!!!

My friend Matt and I made a pact when we were just little, teenage metalheads. If KISS ever got back together with the original line-up, no matter how old we were, or what we were doing in life, we would drop everything and be at opening night. WE ACTUALLY DID IT. We flew to Detroit Rock City for opening night at Tiger Stadium. Matt, myself, and 70,000 of our closest friends witnessed one of the best rock shows ever. KISS was back -- big time!!

While the concerts were great, and the tour was the biggest seller of the year, it didn't take long for the old tensions to re-surface. Even though I love Gene Simmons (I have a tattoo of his make-up face on my leg), I think this time it was his and Paul's fault. Gene and Paul had gotten quite used to having hired hands in the band who would simply take orders, and never talk back. Ace and Peter were original members, the fans loved them, and they did talk back to Gene and Paul.

The re-united band decided to make an album, but Gene and Paul wanted subordinates not band mates or collaborators. Though it is still hard to get them to admit this, apparently KISS as a band only played on ONE SONG on the album! Ace's "Into the Void." The rest of the album was played by session musicians. The songs were written by Gene and Paul with outside writers. The album was a major disappointment (except strangely for 'Into the Void' which ruled...go figure). Psycho Circus, the album and tour, were duds.

The tour did better than the album. The show, however, was no different than the previous tour songwise, except for the addition of a few new songs. KISS was still ignoring the bulk of their career output. I still loved it, but how many more times would I be there to see the same show?

The band might have gotten a whiff of this, because in 2000 they announced their current tour would be their "Farewell Tour." Good-bye KISS. Not exactly. After the 2000 tour ended, the contracts keeping Ace and Peter in the band expired. The tour still had some international dates left, so a new contract had to be quickly hammered out. Ace signed his, Peter held out for more cash. It might have seemed like this was a reasonable move considering how many millions Gene and Paul were making as "KISS", but Ace and Peter did quit back in the day. They were still getting paid a rumored $250K per week. That is mega-money no matter who you are. Regardless, KISS decided in 2001 just like they did in 1980, that replacing a trouble maker is easier than dealing with the trouble.

KISS went to Japan with 90s drummer Eric Singer wearing Peter Criss' make-up. He never "said" he was Peter, but obviously, this is what the band meant to convey. Eric couldn't demand such a high salary, and he didn't talk back. By all accounts the shows were good, but having fake members in the band did not sit right with me. This "version" of the band existed until 2002 when Ace was fired, but strangely, Peter came back! Ace has been a virtual recluse since his time in the band ended. He apparently is happy with things, and wants to retire from music. I take him at his word.

Ace was "replaced" by Tommy Thayer for the post-farewell tour with Aerosmith. Tommy Thayer for the 10 previous years had been Gene and Paul's assistant. He does have a musical history, and has helped KISS, but having him put on Ace's make-up and pretend to be him is just a joke. Maybe...just maybe...if they had hired Bruce Kulick, it might not have seemed so insulting to Ace. Bruce did play in the band for over 10 years, and collaborated with the band on Psycho Circus as a "non-member." For whatever reason, they didn't follow my advice.

After the Aerosmith tour, KISS fired Peter Criss for good. Eric Singer was brought back, another tour was booked (4 years after the farewell), and the KISS-tribute show began.

To me, it is insulting that Gene and Paul think that any person wearing KISS make-up can just be passed off as a member of the band, and the fans won't know the difference. I don't care if Tommy can mimic Ace's guitar licks -- he is not Ace, he didn't write those licks, and he is only copying the sound of the notes, not the feel of them. I don't care if Eric Singer is a better drummer than Peter. Hell, most professionals are. So what. Peter and Ace were there in the club days, they were there on those early tours, they helped the band reach the highest highs, and despite quitting the band at one time, deserve more respect than they are getting.

I am boycotting the current KISS "Rock the Nation" tour. I ignored the KISS / Aerosmith tour also. I will not pay my hard-earned money to see a KISS cover band. I did pay to see those kinds of bands BEFORE the reunion. I loved seeing people pretend to be KISS, do the classic 70s set and show. It was good because KISS was not doing it anymore. Tommy Thayer knows this firsthand -- he was in a tribute band (you have seen the move "Rock Star", right?).

I love Gene and Paul, but you guys have really let me down. I do want to hear obscure, older songs in the set. But, I'd rather see the real band than two sideman pretenders. If you want us fans to believe that they are more than that, give them their own make-up designs. The reason the 80s-90s KISS eventually earned the respect of the fans is that they did not pretend to be someone else. Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent got their own, unique make-up designs, and when the make-up came off, they never pretended to be someone else. Bruce never did a smoking guitar solo, Eric didn't end the show with "Beth." The band acknowledged the obvious -- they were different.

Gene and Paul, you owe the fans more than this. Either retire, bring back Ace and Peter, or give their replacements their own identity. Those are the choices. True fans will agree. Don't believe the hype coming constantly from Gene and Paul about how much better the band is now. The new version is joke. Ignore them. Let me remember the band the way they were -- the way they were meant to be. End it now. Please.

KISS does deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, however. They have been eligible for 5 years, but have not been nominated. They have been shut out. Please write to: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation
1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104 and demand this oversight be corrected.

Thanks for letting me say my piece.

Put KISS in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame NOW!!

Whether or not you are a KISS fan, I think it should go without saying that they deserve to be in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. KISS has the most gold records of any group in rock history, they are one of the most influential groups in all of rock (influence on Lenny Kravitz, Motley Crue, Nirvana, Garth Brooks, Soundgarden, Misfits, and countless others) and when the original line-up reunited 22 years after forming, the tour was the most successful of the year. Let's just recap some of their more famous songs: "Rock n Roll All Nite" "Detroit Rock City" "Beth" "Calling Dr. Love" "Hotter Than Hell" "Hard Luck Woman" "Love Gun" "I Was Made For Loving You" "I Love It Loud" "Forever" "Lick It Up" "Heavens On Fire" "Domino" and many more. There is absolutely no reason why they are not in the Hall of Fame, except for some bias against them.

In order to qualify for the Hall, it has to be 25 years after your debut album was released. KISS' debut was released in Feb. 1974, so they have been eligible since 1999. Let's see which "questionable" artists got in from 1999-2005 that beat out KISS: 99-Billy Joel, The Staple Singers, George Martin (Beatles' producer), 2000-Lovin' Spoonful, The Moonglows, Scotty Moore (Elvis' drummer), 2001-The Flamingos, Michael Jackson, Chris Blackwell (founder of Island Records), 2002-Isaac Hayes, Brenda Lee, 2003-Righteous Brothers, 2004-Jackson Browne, The Dells, Bob Seger, Jann Wenner (founder of Rolling Stone magazine), 2005-The O'Jays, Percy Sledge, U2, Seymour Stein (founder of Sire Records).

Nothing against any of those bands, but should U2, Billy Joel, or Jann Wenner be nominated before KISS? I think it's obvious that anti-KISS bias exists. U2, a great band, formed in 1980 -- a full six years after KISS formed. This is ridiculous! Anyway, a groups of KISS fans is planning a protest march outside of the Rock and Roll Hall for next August when the 2006 inductees are announced. The group's press release is below, and their website. I have put a banner for the group at the bottom of the page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"UNACCEPTABLE!" SAYS KISS ARMY OF LETTER FROM ROCK HALL

Plans for a protest rally at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame continue after fans of the iconic rock group KISS received a letter from Hall Of Fame president Terry Stewart.

"Unacceptable!" says Joe Apple, who initiated contact with the Hall by requesting an explanation for KISS's absence on the ballot for Hall Of Fame induction. Apple is not only a fan, but the chair of the rally planned for August 5, 2006 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

"We have no intention of backing down," he asserts.

"They really missed the point," agrees rally co-chair Paul Carpenter. Among other things, Stewart told us that ‘candidates are reviewed and discussed relative to their impact on this music that we broadly call rock and roll.'

What the Hall establishment fails to acknowledge is not just KISS' impact on music, but on rock and roll itself. KISS not only created a musical spectacle, but a culture. For much of the world, the word ‘KISS' is synonymous with the phrase ‘rock and roll.' KISS reset the bar for other artists when they stormed into the ‘70s. Three decades later, their influence on show business is everywhere."

Apple and Carpenter have received support for the protest rally from all over the world. "The outreach from fans, performers and volunteers is exactly what we expectedˆgenerous and enthusiastic," Apple says. "We can't wait until August."

Information about the rally is available at http://www.geocities.com/KISSHallofFame

Volunteers for the event can sign up to participate at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Marchontherockandrollhalloffame

What: KISS Fan Protest Rally
When: Saturday August 5, 2006
Where: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH
Website: http://www.geocities.com/KISSHallofFame
Contact: Paul Carpenter: starchild7541@yahoo.com

A Couple of Shows to Report On: Hangar 18, United State of Electronica

I haven't been keeping all you Dark Stuff fans up-to-date on all the shows I have been seeing. I have not stopped going to see bands, I just haven't been as excited by any of them. So far this week, I have seen two shows worthy of mention. Monday night I went down to Sokol Underground and caught NYC rap group Hangar 18. I had heard some cuts from their CD, The Multi Platinum Debut Album, a while before, but didn't know too much about them. I knew they were on the Definitive Jux label which is great. Beyond that, I was flying blind.

These guys were fucking great! Unfortunately, nobody was there to appreciate them. I'm not kidding. There was only a dozen people at the show. I have seen many great shows in my lifetime that had low attendance, but this was ridiculous. I always feel bad for artists that have to play in front of an empty room. Luckily, Hangar 18 did not let it get to them. They played their show as if it was a packed house. They were a real fun group. The opener, Cryptic, was decent, too. The two bands are touring together. There was a third act, Breathless, that opened the show. Breathless is a female rapper from Omaha. I did not catch much of her show. She seemed kind of pissed about the low attendance, and left right after her set. Maybe that shitty attitude is part of the reason why she has no local following that would come out to see her on a Monday! Anyway, check out this remix of the band's song "Where We At?." This version appears on their CD The Donkey Show Vol. 1. Listen to "Where We At (Yer in the Jungle)" by Hangar 18.

A few months ago I wrote about a band from Seattle called United State of Electronica (U.S.E.). I was all psyched to see them play with Aqueduct when they came through town earlier in the year. I ended up missing the show. At this point, I can't really remember why. Last night I made up for my earlier mistake and caught the show at O'Leavers. Openers The Divorce were quite good. They are also from Seattle, and they have something of a hard, new wave sound. I don't know if that description does much for you or not. The band was good live, though.

U.S.E. followed and blew the roof off of the tiny club. U.S.E. plays a kind of dance music, but not the kind you hear at some lame dance club. They play electronic music with analog instruments. It's a cool, original sound. There were maybe seven or eight band members; and for a club as small as O'Leavers (75 people is packed), they took up a lot of space. They got the crowd of 50 or so people on their feet and dancing (which for an Omaha indie show is quite amazing). It was a really fun show. My friend, Chris, got pretty wasted and ended up taking off at some point during the show. I hope he walked home. If you see that the band is coming to your town, give them a try. You will leave the club with a smile on your face I guarantee it.

Song of the Day -- Early Man

Early Man is two piece band from New York City that plays some serious heavy metal. Honestly, I can't tell if this band is serious or not. They have the big Sabbath riffs and the lyrics about death or whatever, but I can't help thinking that some part of these guys is joking. Regardless, I like this type of music when it's done right. The band's debut album, Closing In, was just released this week. Listen to "Death Is The Answer" by Early Man.

Is This a Good Idea?

KISS Guitarist To Visit Sober Teens Festival
From: The Journal News
By: Diana Bellettieri

As organizers gear up for the third annual Sober Teens Festival at Carmel High School, it seems the event has taken on a life of its own.

The goal is still the same. Students will be asked to sign contracts pledging to stay sober until the age of 21, then the contracts will be co-signed by celebrities. This year, KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is already on board, and other stars are in the works.

But what's happened since the free festival's inception is that it's become a "must-play" gig for local high school bands. With at least 700 students expected to attend the festival Sunday, musicians say it offers the perfect opportunity for exposure. This year, five bands from Putnam County will hit the stage, and one is traveling from New Jersey.

Chris Cassone, a recovering alcoholic and the founder of Sober Teens, said he is grateful for the festival's popularity. He was inspired to start it after 16-year-old Andrew McArdle, a Carmel High School junior and football player, died in a 2002 car crash that may have been alcohol-related. McArdle was friends with Cassone's youngest daughter.

With experience in the music industry, he knows rock 'n' roll isn't typically associated with sobriety. Seeing that students are working to change the stereotype is "very cool," Cassone said.

Jeremy Aquilino and Alex Lipton, Mahopac High School seniors, said word about the Sober Teens Festival has spread. Their band, One Month Standing, will be performing. They doubt their performance will do much to change the age-old combination of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll, but they think it's important to support sobriety.

"Keeping kids responsible and out of trouble is always really good," said Lipton. "Getting kids to go to a show instead of going and drunk driving is better."

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, more than 2,200 children died of alcohol-related traffic accidents in 2002. About 10.7 million children between 12 and 20 were reported to have consumed alcohol during the month before a nationwide survey in 2001. That's about 30 percent.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office supports the festival, and local businesses have already donated more than $7,600.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I love Ace Frehley to death. I'm glad he's gotten sober after like 35 years of partying. But, I hate seeing lifelong drinkers who suddenly get sober appear at events like this. It's stupid. And PLEASE don't make a new album with songs that reflect your new "clarity."

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on Letterman

Make sure to catch Black Rebel Motorcycle Club tonight (Wednesday) on the Late Show with David Letterman. I don't know if this is the band's first national television appearance, but it is their first time on Letterman.

We Gotta Big Week Here Folks

I haven't spent a lot of time lately telling you all about what shows I have been seeing here in Omaha. I haven't stopped going by any means. There are a number of great bands coming to town in the next two months. This week begins the onslaught!

Tomorrow night (Tuesday) Built to Spill will return for the first time in six years. The new record is not out yet, so there may be a lot of unknown material being performed. BTS is one of the better live bands, and they have never disappointed. The concert is at Sokol Underground and opening the show is former Dinosaur Jr. bassist Mike Johnson. Get a ticket here.
No time to take a break after Built to Spill because the very next night (Wednesday) is Sleater-Kinney. I have only seen the band once before (porbably about 97 or 98) and they were great. I kind of got bored with the band's sound after their first two records and pretty much tuned out. The new album, The Woods, is a serious return to greatness. It's basically this band's version of heavy metal. It's loud, abrasive, and very distorted. I'm looking forward to seeing how they pull it off live. This show, like most good shows in Omaha, is at Sokol Underground. Get a ticket here.
The only other show of note for the week comes this Friday. I don't have any intention of seeing the headline band -- Thrice -- I am just going to see the show's opener Veda. The band's debut album, The Weight of an Empty Room, is pretty solid. I'm planning on making it an early evening. I hate Thrice, and the other openers (Under Oath and The Bled) look lame. This show, also at Sokol, will probably sell out. While they're still available, you can get them here.

Fiona Apple on Letterman Tuesday

Fiona Apple will be performing on Late Show with David Letterman tomorrow night. Her new album, Extraordinary Machine, is out now. I'll have a review for you coming up shortly. One bit of advice -- spend the extra couple bucks and get the dual disc version of the album. This version has the entire album in some type of "expanded" stereo, along with some videos and live performances. The live performance footage was shot in a small club, and Fiona is performing with her former producer Jon Brion. The best video on the disc is for "Not About Love." The video features comedian Zach Galifianakis lip synching the lyrics while Fiona follows him around in what looks like L.A. Don't know if you remember Zach's show on MTV a few years ago (it lasted about two weeks) or if you've seen him on Comedy Central, but he is pretty funny. He doesn't even memorize the lyrics -- he reads them from a sheet of paper. It's certainly a unique video.

Song of the Day -- Big Star

Don't tell me you haven't heard of Big Star. I guess it would be sort of understandable since the band's last studio album came out in 1975.The band's history has been written about a lot, and its' legend looms large in independent rock circles.The blog Freeway Jam has a really good profile if you don't know the saga.

I saw the band in concert in 1994 at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago. This was on its first "reunion" tour. Big Star was outstanding, and hearing Alex Chilton sing those songs again was fantastic. I had seen Chilton as a solo artist a few years prior and he only did one Big Star song the entire show.

The band that night featured Chilton and drummer Jody Stephens, along with Ken and Jon from the Posies. That is also the line-up that plays on the new album, In Space. Listen to "Dony" by Big Star.