Kid`s Chronicle: THE ART OF BIZARRE

THE ART OF BIZARRE

It might be punk, the last revolution in music industry, what we get in mind, when someone mentions weird haircut, wrecked outfit and wild music. Well, if London is what you get in mind, you are probably right, but the whole thing started a lot earlier and in a way different place. USA, usually in music history considered as popular and practically mass culture, brought the roots of punk and many other genres to light. Starting with punk it was not guys from Sex Pistols back in 70s as it is commonly said, but punk was what some other kind band with darkened name The Velvet Underground originally performed. P.s. The guys are now in Rock and Roll Hall of fame.

The Velvet Underground was first based as accompainment band for Lou Reed`s poetry. The firt idea was more of a controversial band, to grab some attention with often nihilistic attitudes. 

Welcome to the Silver Factory!

You might did not know, but it was good old white headed man and ultimate icon of all times Andy Warhol, who developed the idea of The Velvet Underground. The SIlver Factory was deliberately the thing he bought and where he filmed everything for his works.

During the era of hippie movement in 70s New York was always one of kind going his own path. While in the air was the word of freedom, love and faith, Underground was spreading their dark minds with cold rock and obsessive descriptions of anomy anykind.

New York, full of migrants, drugs and otherwise trashy city used to be different than San Francisco, metropolis of hippies. It used to be dirty and bankrupt, while the artistic movement was richer than ever before.

Reed went solo after taking his leave from The Velvet Underground and Bowie later helped him with exquisite record Transformer, which is very glam. He also released Berlin, dedicated to Berlin in 20s, when the decadent, homosexual and transsexual scenes were on top.

Lou Reed, the key persona in The Velvet Underground composed his music with some basic instruments, such as distorted guitars, cold rhytm and abandoned feeling. No hippie rhytm, no hippie themes, Reed, who reached many controversies due to his make up in that time, sang of dealers and prostitutes. It brings back in my mind songs such as Waiting for my man.

ON OCTOBER 30TH, THE ALBUM LOADED RETURNS TO STORES AS LOADED: RE-LOADED 45TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. IT CONTAINS STEREO AND MONO VERSIONS OF THE ORIGINAL LP ALONG WITH BONUS MATERIAL THAT INCLUDES DEMOS, EARLY VERSIONS AND ALTERNATE MIXES,  

TOP 3 pre-punk TUNES:

The Stooges: I Wanna be your Dog

Richard Hell: Blank Generation

The Velvet Underground: Venus in furs

Kid`s Live!: HAPPY BIRTHDAY THE KID!

Howdy Kids! I hope »Trick or treating« got you a fortune this year! Now, let us check what has been going on through decades.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THE KID!

You might did not know, but the kid is celebrating 1000 views. I would like to thank each and everyone for your visits and hope you like it. I am doing this for you, so I would be glad for sharing your opinions, ideas and wishes with me. Hope to see you soon! 

World' s greatest Bohemian

These are the days of our lives and we are remembering one of the greatest personas in music histories, undisputed Queen of rock and owner of the most famous moustache, Freddie Mercury. Born on September 5th, he departed on November 24th in the age of 45.  

Killing them alive!

It was time for Jerry Lee Lewis and his boogie woogie to celebrate again! On September 29th The Killer achieved enviable age of 80. 

Winner Child

It was October 24th 2006, date of Live to win album release. I was like 14 years old and knew only one meaning of the word »kiss«, but Live to Win is actually the second solo album from Kiss vocalist, guitarist and co-founder Paul Stanley. You might did not know, but the album's title track was featured on the South Park episode "Make Love, Not Warcraft", twenty days prior to the album's release. 

A-wop-bom-a-loo-mop-a-lomp-bom-bom!

In November 1955, the same year my daddy was born, Little Richard's Tutti Frutti, which practically means "all fruits" in Italian came to life. Song, written by  Richard Wayne Penniman along with Dorothy Labostrie became his first major hit record. Not long after its driving sound and wild lyrics became not only model for many future songs, but also a ruling model for rock and roll during decades.

Officially Jagger

By now you should probably know I am a Stone. A tough one. This might be a good point for all you guys, cuz I fought my way in the first rowes on Stones gig and planned visiting Exhibitionism following year, but for now, this is my latest invention! I just had to buy that dress.

SOME HERITAGE 

I know your feet is aching right now and you wanna just jump out and start rolling around, so I wanna give you another twisting one. 

Clap your hands or you may rattle your jewelry, let`s hear it again some antique,

The Beatles: TWIST AND SHOUT

Kid`s Treat: AMY UNPLUGGED

Amy Unplugged  

"Just one smile and we'll stop recording..just one smile," her friend says. And he goes on and on untill she finally makes a shy one then turnes her eyes and hides behind her blanket. It might sound like a child-like story, but to me it seems as her story shortened. As that is all the paparazzi wanted. And it goes beyond. There are true feelings, unreleaved lyrics and no things such as fake smiles.

It starts with Amy Winehouse.It starts in 2015 but goes way back. News about Amy's sudden death shook the world and left it in wonder as in cases of Joplin, Morrisson, Cobain, Jones and such. Debates of what might pull the trigger were struggling with ex-addicts who were claiming this was the only logical consequence of her life taking wrong curve. Well, from that on Amy might have been treated as some sort of example of unstable and uncontrolled person with no such thing as meaning in her life. And from that on there was a need for someone make the whole thing clear.
The reason might be in the whole thing happening way too fast. In the very first scenes of Asif Kapadia version of funk and soul queen we get to know Amy as a teenager. A little different than others but with talent without a doubt and what she called already built character. Her persona was strong in many kinds of ways even when she sang Moon river, talked about boys or started strumming the guitar. Music, as she pointed out, was not only her "little helper", it meant the world to her, without even knowing it. Private footage make the story even more credible, so the viewers can see her real expressions and listen to her lyrics revealing some feelings she might never knew she would share. Not being ready for fame, that is another question. When Tony Bennett asked her to record together and even when she was awarded, there was no such thing as fame in her. She was surprised, unsure and happy as little child. 
It appears to me as the whole story reminiscent of some sort of a home movie, could not only tell about it without actors trying to mimick her and trap her in to some sort of stereotype (deliberately or not). With little help of collage and witness accounts Amy takes viewers straight into her heart and shares her minds, love and even fear with them. Such a little thing, but her name, marked with tabloid reports of substance abuse, seems to be dominated by her talent and her music. 
Winehouse does not only appear to be one of normal everyday people, but the viewers get their surprise by her need of love, varieties of such we are facing all the time. Affected by her father's absence, she seems to try fulfilling his part with so many different things and yet all of them couldn't replace his love. It might even be, Amy did not even know this is the missing puzzle. But more vulnerable, such could be easy target for those hungry for money, who would not care if she doesn't want to sing Back to black's songs or does not feel like going onstage again. When struggling with bulimia and surviving her overdose it was Blake who got her back on high track again. The same Blake she wore in her hair. It was her father who put her in front of the camera  and told her to get back and behave herself. Maybe for Daddy's girl to finally made his dreams come alive. Maybe to get him some dime.
The further story goes, the more viewers become a part of it and might even caught themselves wishing for slight possibility something going different. But this is not a romance, sich as her songs don't leave without a scar. The news of her death strikes with the same shock and out of the blue as it did back in the 2011. But the whole movie allows us to keep her a little more. Each gets his favourite line, each gets an answer and each gets a smile.

Kid`s Chronicle: THE MEN AND THEIR SOUL

THE MEN AND THEIR SOUL

Under the rule of bell bottoms, flower power and similar Ashbury Heights´ products, black people feeling deprived decided to tune their own path in music history. Their movement is now well known and established far more than they probably expected in the first place. Apart from the very beginners, the number of soulmen is now way beyond reach.

THIRD AMERICA

In short period of time,  during liberal 60s and 70s, music made by coloured people made it to finally rule the charts after the long reign of white tunes for decades. By combining r´n´b with pop and even more at-the-time controversial gospel sounds, Ray Charles was the first and still known as the most successful soul musician ever made. 

MOTOWN 

vs 

HITSVILLE

In the industry of soul, there were two hit factories based in two different cities and also distinguished in style. As Motown a.k.a. Hitsville remains synonim for more white colored music, such as pop based The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, Stax, located in Memphis produced more dirty tuned performers, such as Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes.

GOT SOUL?

Stiff rhytm, nice pop-reminiscent melody, brass and emotional lyrics. You already hear Hit the road Jack? Well, that´s the thing.

While Sam Cooke became teenage role model, James Brown was that kind a guy with tough soul. Not only a performer, he managed to made establish soul as popular sort, later on he turned it off forever.  You might be wondering, where this hair ciut came from, but admit it, the man had style. Yet soul and funk are still popular amongst recent performers, Brown due to his moves, vocals, precies ear and many other unique skills, was inspiration for no wonder-Mick Jagger. He even coproduced a movie based on his idol´s lifetime and career.

A BROWN MAN

After 1968 riots formed after Martin Luther King´s sudden death, it was Brown´s concert the government tried to calm people down with. But the same old Brown was the key persona in radical movement for black rights as well as developing even more rhytmic music funk. 

Believed as chorus and melody was missing, Brown´s idea was such music remind black people more of their drum-based, rhytmical roots. Brown kept the guitar, but included two drummer sets and rediscovered influence of bass guitar. Wearing afro was very cool at the time. 

Brown´s guitarist Bootsy Collins discovered special technique The One. 

Accent on the first note used to be very special at the time, such as Collins´ spacey outfit, well now it´s enjoying legendary status. Collins later joined group called Funkadelic.  

Let`s hear it now, here are

                       TOP 3 FUNKY GROOVES:

Earth Wind & Fire: Boogie Wonderland

Kool & The Gang: Celebration

Parliament-Funkadelic: Bring the Funk

Kid`s Live!: SUMMER TOUR

SUMMER TOUR 15´

Howdy everybody!

Since I`ve been away for some time, I got you some evidence how I spent my summer time. And the proof it was successful! Let`s see what`s been going on through summer. Rock and roll and many more!

Happy 4th of July! Hope you had a ball!

There´s been another holiday goin´ on 26th of July. World´s greatest licker and harder stone turned 72. Old, but gold, happy birthday Sir Mick! 

Another birthday boys, Brian May celebrated on 13th July, Roger Taylor blew his candles same time as Mick, on July 26th.

This is what I call Hard Rock Cafe!  

Have your special sneak 

peek underneath the wonderful front of Tenerife Cafe!

What we got here is original lyrics of Sting`s song All this time. 

What`s been goin` on:

Remembering MARC BOLAN

30 September 1947 - 16 September 1977

September`s JACK`s birthday! 

Raise your bottles for the old guy.

REBEL WAVES

Pete Shelley holding up a poster

for the Sex Pistols' much-fabled second gig

at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, JULY 1978.

Who you gonna rock?

I spent some time on rock n`roll and American car meeting Piston Riot in Ljubljana, September 2015

SOME HERITAGE

This is one of my favourite Bruce Springsteen songs and some real anti age treasure. 

Let`s hear it again,

Bruce Springsteen: MISSING  

Kid`s Treat: ROADS THE MAN WALKED DOWN

Roads the man walked down

Folk used to be one of the country and other US ethnic hillbilly genres in the sixties. Well it could even remain there, if somewhat whimsical and arrogant guy called Robert Zimmerman suddenly appeared in New York, and after some time, the world started known him by the name Bob Dylan. As the years went by, the streets of Greenwich Village sounded same as his politically engaged Freewheelin ', and he got crowds of fans and followers. But as Dylan said the last word with acoustic folk, he enjoyed electric guitar tunes. Fans were surprised even as Dylan continued with love ballads and country. But even the remarks on his behalf and getting the raspberries failed to end the route, he was heading. His songs are still loud enough, his voice sharp enough, and his tour is never ending.

Dylan has stopped in Slovenia since for the fourth time since 1991. Over four thousand people joined together in Arena Stožice in Ljubljana. And as special the day was, it was also clear, this event is a different kind, when the stage was in complete darkness and the people sat in front of the hall. Visitors who are otherwise fighting for the first row at any cost, this time preferred to sit along and eat popcorn this time. Alright, the concert was not sold out, but just looking at the long-haired elder visitors, middle-aged couples and girls in black dresses with wreaths in their hair, were reminiscent of scenes of American folkies sitting in parks. Only now they were not singing We Shall overcome, but spent their time wondering whether Dylan may not get tired to prepare always new surprises. Finally, his logo disappeared and after a strike on the gong small man with a huge white hat took slow steps on the stage. As he found his place in front of one of the four microphones, he slightly started humming Things Have Changed. In the moment when the crowd began to shout his name and started prepairing their cameras, Dylan did not respond at all. But his guards did. Filming or photography was strictly prohibited. Yet a number of times due to flash use, security guards pull their flashlights into the open. They did not succeed, only the visitors in the first rows were blinded by the light most of time. Dylan's lighting, was the complete opposite and more reminiscent of a theater performance. The venue was surrounded by curtains, the stage used to be filled with soft light due to the small wall lights, but otherwise equipment, which included microphones, guitars, drums and piano was nothing similar to what large stage spectacle names similar size and mileage, as Dylan usually use. It was more intimate, more club-like. The only decoration on the stage was a small bust. Five-member accompanying band sat on bar stools, but Dylan spent most of the time standing in the middle of the stage in front of his microphones and reciting his poems. With every minute, it was quieter in the hall and the concert became increasingly emotional yet without sleazy flirtation with the audience. Moreover, Dylan's unclear pronunciation, broken rhythm and changed forms of the songs caused confusion amongst visitors and so only half of them realized big hits actually, such as Tangled Up in Blue. It seemed as if Dylan devoted to walk down his entire musical career once again and with each step he was more away from initial folk with whom, he grappled to its beginnings. Here and there he took time for harmonica and proved he still sounds enough melodic and melancholic, as in the past. When he performed She Belongs to Me he even sat by the piano. No one was surprised at electric guitar on stage this time, but Dylan did success by selecting songs. After the sad and unrelated verses of Sinatra´s Fool to want you and As leaves fall down, it was clear that he did not only take part in his own musical path, but he summed up almost the entire American music history.When he bared his soul and took some rest backstage, he returned with new image. And so did his songs. With High Water and Simple Twist of Fate he took a bigger step to the very American way of country and did not miss out even blues heritage. He sat by piano once again and hit the floor in Forgetful heart rhytm.  Montand´s Autumn Leaves was a proof of Dylan´s ballads, appearing strong and somewhat crude, but can apply nostalgic tunes with note of romance. Spirit in the Water, intertwined Dylan´s virtuoso variations on piano and guitar parts, later turned into Scarlet Rown, then Soon After Midnight, followed by Long and Waisted Years, which changed the whole atmosphere in way more relaxed. But seniors could expect that 74-year old ex-folkie would not depart untill pulling the rabbit out of the hat. Those, who barely followed the program, full of not exactly greatest hits, were bored. Still others were confused. Meanwhile Dylan made an end to the dilemmas, he at the same time met all of them. With well-known lyrics and completely opposite form of original version of the song, Blowin´ in the wind made some even more kindled, well the others broke the code only after the second stanza. The grand finale was accompained with Love Sick, when the lights went out and the great Dylan walked off stage without a word. 

Kid´s Chronicle: BLOWIN´ IN THE WIND

Blowin´ in the wind

We might think we know a great deal about folk as a way of music, but here´s the deal. It would probably remain under the domain of some kind of hillbilly southern American music, which used to be a bad reference. Well, not too long untill the revival tune staretd to sound in the streets of the Greenwich Village near NY University. Anyways, thanks to the jewish angry or just melancholic lookin´ like Robert Zimmerman  a.k.a. Bob Dylan.

Considered as the most influental persona of folk movement, he turned the folk under the spotlight with his voice and lyrics and few years later he buried it for good with same. When you think of folk, you think of Dylan.

GRANDPA                                                                                          Guthrie

You might didn´t know, but a guy called Woody Guthrie used to be the
first person starting the whole idea of            
folk as a simple music with political ideas.        

                                                                                   BACK                                                                                                                    
               TO                 
                THE                                        

                ROOTS

Folkies used to be the opposite of the great deal of people, who were listening to the sound coming from electric guitars and all sorts related to the rock n´ roll culture, which seemed to rule the world in the 70s. Dressed in black, sitting around, singing Joan Baez song We shall overcome, they played acoustic instruments and raised ther voices in political manners.
As NYC due to economic crisis was one of the coldest and decadent cities, facing trash, prostitutes and migrations everyday, on the other hand, it soon became popular for artists, students and other bohemians, trying to express themselves. Folk, which used to be national music of the America became sinonym for raw, simple sound and politicaly orientated lyrics including civil rights and war.

                                                                                           It was folk, which brought people together and made the path for even more liberal and peace orientated movement – hippies.

Going folkie? Check the heritage of the timeless artists. Here is my top five selection,  just to get the picture:
Peter, Paul and Mary: Where have all the flowers gone (Did you know Peter, Paul and Mary reached their popularity due to performing Dylan songs and Blowin´ in the wind became famous because of their cover?)
The Carter Family: Can the circle be unbroken
Coal Black Rose
Man of Constant Sorrow
House of the rising sun (You might know this one from British The Animals, but it was originally folk song)

I`ve tried some folkie kit too: