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5 Things That Make Levon Helm Great

                          
On April 19, 2012, the world lost a brilliant musician. With the passing of Levon Helm after a long battle with cancer, the public is reflecting on Helm's long and influential career. A great drummer with a soulful voice, he’s left an amazing catalogue of Americana behind. 

Here are just five things that make Levon Helm great:

5. He Published an Autobiography

Helm’s 1993 autobiography This Wheel’s On Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of The Band gives his fans a glimpse at his childhood, being raised in the deep south, to his discovery of music, and the formation of The Band. Helm also accuses Robbie Robertson of conspiring with record companies to steal songwriting credits from the rest of the members of The Band.

4. He Performed in Berlin After the Wall Came Down

After the Berlin Wall came down, former Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters organized a special live performance of Pink Floyd’s magnum opus The Wall. Levon Helm, along with Rick Danko and Garth Hudson, performed as The Band to an estimated half a million people.

3. He was an Accomplished Actor

Helm didn’t act in many films, and despite his appearance in Steven Segal's Fire Down Below, he gave incredible performances in Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Right Stuff, and the unique and disturbing film The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.

2. He was the Glue in The Band

Don’t let The Last Waltz fool you! Levon Helm was the heart and soul of The Band. Playing drums and mandolin and performing vocals on “The Weight,” "Up on Cripple Creek," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and “Ophelia," it was his unique fusion of country and blues that made The Band legendary.

1. He was a Musician Until the End

Levon Helm never slowed down, either performing solo or with The Band, he toured and performed right up until this year. He received the first ever Grammy for an Americana album for Dirt Farmer (2007) and released Electric Dirt in 2009 and the live album Ramble at the Ryman in 2011.

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter. Follow Elford on Twitter.)

5 Herculean Myths in Music

The music world is filled with bizarre rumors and urban myths. There's the one about Marilyn Manson being Paul from "The Wonder Years" or Rod Stewart needing his stomach pumped for uh…various reasons. The list goes on and on.

So, here are just five insane urban myths in music. 

Robert Johnson Sold His Soul

One of the oldest, this one claims that revolutionary blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at a cross roads in exchange for his guitar playing abilities. To be fair, recording songs like “Cross Road Blues,” “Me and the Devil Blues," and “Hellhound On My Trail” don't do much to dissuade the rumors. Johnson's sound was so unique it has been “borrowed” by such guitar luminaries as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

Charles Manson Nearly Became a Monkee

Before embarking on a successful career of getting hippies to kill for him, Charles Manson was a struggling musician, peddling songs like “People Say I’m No Good” from his debut album LIE. Yes, Charles Manson has a debut album.

It’s been rumored for years that Manson auditioned for The Monkees in 1965, but that was impossible because he was in prison for violating his probation. Manson did have connections to the music world, however. He was an acquaintance of Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson and even lived at his house for a brief period. He auditioned for The Byrds’ producer Terry Melcher, and the Beach Boys’ song “Never Learn Not To Love” was a reworded version of Manson’s song “Cease To Exist."

Kurt Cobain Was Murdered

Like Elvis and Tupac cheating death, this is one rumor that never dies. Since his tragic suicide in 1994, obsessed fans and conspiracy theorists have claimed that Courtney Love arranged Cobain’s death. Theorists cite the high level of heroin in his bloodstream as being too much to handle a shotgun and the strange interview with The Mentors' lead singer El Duce, who claimed Courtney Love approached him to kill Cobain at one point. Of course, they usually forget to factor in Cobain's chronic back pain, struggles with drug abuse and depression, and the handwritten suicide note....

Michael Jackson Tried To Buy The Elephant Man

I could compile at least a hundred lists of various myths that have been spread about Michael Jackson that would include things like: he slept in a hyperbaric chamber; he was a pedophile; he ate his chimp Bubbles to absorb his strength. I made that last one up. Let’s see if it sticks.

In 1987 a rumor circulated that Jackson offered fifty grand for the bones of John “Elephant Man” Merrick. Of course, purchasing them would have been pretty difficult since the bones were destroyed in a World War II bombing raid.

Paul is Dead

Now this one is a classic! It's right up there with Mama Cass choking on a ham sandwich.  Essentially the claim is that in 1966 Paul McCartney was killed in a car accident and replaced with a lookalike who happened to sound just like Paul McCartney.

Supposed clues can be found in playing “Revolution 9” backwards to hear a voice saying “turn me on dead man” and the cover of Abbey Road, which is said to be a funeral procession - John, in all white, is the preacher; Ringo, in black, is the mourner; a barefoot Paul is the corpse and George, in denim is the gravedigger.

Paul's death is even the subject of a 2010 mockumentary called Paul McCartney Really Is Dead. Of course, this myth is ridiculous. Everyone knows Paul McCartney was killed by the Illuminati in 1995 and replaced with a clone grown in a lab in Austria. 

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter. Follow Elford on Twitter.) 

5 Musical Actors

Why is it that whenever an actor tries his or her hand at music they usually go down in a ball of flames? Some work out, like Jeff Bridges, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of grizzled country music veteran Otis Blake, which led to the release of two decent albums. But for every Jeff Bridges there are hundreds of Corey Feldmans and Gwyneth Paltrows waiting in the wings.

Here are five random musical actors.

William Shatner

We’ve all heard William Shatner’s bizarre, spoken word version of Elton John’s “Rocket Man," but he truly surprised everyone with his 2004 album Has Been. Produced and arranged by Ben Folds, it was critically acclaimed. Seriously. An album by William “halting cadence” Shatner was critically acclaimed. The album featured a popular cover of Pulp’s “Common People” and the original song “What Have You Done," which deals with his wife’s tragic death in 1999. While he's not the only Star Trek alum to try his hand at a musical career (if you’re brave, google “Leonard Nimoy's Ballad of Bilbo Baggins”), but he’s definitely had the strangest.

Mr. T

This guy went from being a bodyguard who was so renowned he was sought out for assassinations to a punch line relegated to commercials and reality shows. But for a brief moment in 1984, Mr. T was more than a walking cartoon character; he was a walking cartoon character who released two albums, Mr. T’s Commandments and Mr. T’s Be Somebody…or Be Somebody’s Fool. Both of which were meant to inspire kids to stay in school and not do drugs. Eh, still better than anything Nickelback has ever released.

Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal is a man of many terrible talents. He’s made terrible movies, terrible energy drinks, a terrible reality show about his terrible law enforcement career…so why not throw in some terrible music? Mr. Seagal has two albums, 2005’s Songs From The Crystal Cave, featuring a duet with Stevie Wonder (which means either Mr. Wonder has a great sense of humor or truly, truly hates his fans) and 2006’s Mojo Priest. Seagal’s music is a mix of country, blues, and terrible. 

Kevin Bacon

In 1995, Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael formed the folk rock duo, The Bacon Brothers. They’ve released six studio albums, been featured on countless soundtracks, and even performed a charity concert on top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado. They’re currently touring and have even released a greatest hits collection. So, while most actors mentioned in this article have burned out in a blaze of failure, Kevin Bacon makes it work.

Joaquin Phoenix

In 2009, we saw the rap debut of Joaquin Phoenix. At the time most people were pretty sure his music career and retirement from acting were nothing more than an elaborate ruse. And they were right; it was all staged for the mockumentary I’m Still Here. But just think at what a glorious world it could have been, where a disheveled, hoboesque Joaquin is stumbling on stage night after night, sputtering lyrical poetry and fishing bread crumbs from his beard.

That’s just a small sample. The list of actors-turned-musician is seemingly never ending. There’s Eddie Murphy’s disastrous album, Lindsay Lohan’s train wreck of a record, Bruce Willis’ painfully mediocre bar band, Kim Kardashian’s sad, sad attempt at singing, and god help us, even Kevin Costner has taken a stab at it. 

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter. Follow Elford on Twitter.) 

5 Things That Make Ringo Starr Great

                              

When someone says, “Name a famous drummer,” as many are wont to do in everyday conversation, I bet the first drummer that pops into your head is Ringo Starr. Since the 60s, drummers worldwide - including Max Weinberg, Phil Rudd and Dave Grohl - have cited him as an influence. It has been more than forty years since The Beatles broke-up and Ringo is still enjoying a successful solo career. Last month, he released "Ringo 2012," his 17th studio album.

So, without further ado, here are 5 things that make Ringo Starr great:

1. He's a Beatle

Seriously, he was the drummer for the greatest rock band in music history. He gave us the song titles, “A Hard Days Night” and “Tomorrow Never Knows." He wrote “Don’t Pass Me By” and “Octopus's Garden," and was lead vocalist on “Yellow Submarine,” “With a Little Help From My Friends," "I Wanna be Your Man" and “Act Naturally."

2. A Drumming Style All His Own

He’s a left-handed drummer playing a right-handed drum kit. He can’t even do a drum roll. But because of this, Ringo Starr has had to improvise, creating a unique sound all his own. Just listen to the drum fills on “A Day in the Life” or the drum solo on Abbey Road’s “The End," which was the only drum solo he ever played as a member of The Beatles.

3. An Enduring Solo Career

When The Beatles split Ringo got to work, releasing two albums before the end of 1970, and at 71 years old he shows no signs of slowing down. He’s had several hits including classic rock staples like “It Don’t Come Easy” and “Photograph.”

4. An Impressive Acting Career

Ringo has starred in several movies - The Magic Christian, Born to Boogie (which he also directed) & Caveman (to name a few) - but he's probably most well known for his stint as Mr. Conductor for the PBS kids' show Shining Time Station and his appearance on The Simpsons.

5. The All-Starr Band

Since 1990, Ringo Starr has occasionally toured with his ever-evolving super group Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. Previous line-ups have included Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Billy Preston, Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Clarence Clemons and Todd Rundgren.  

*Check back tomorrow for an interview with Ringo's personal photographer, Rob Shanahan.

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter. Follow Elford on Twitter.)

5 Controversial Album Reissues

In the film world it’s an issue that’s brought up every time George Lucas re-releases another slightly tweaked version of Star Wars. While fanboys argue over whether Greedo shot first or Ewoks should blink, the real question is who ultimately owns art? The fans or the artist? 

In the liner notes to the 2000 remaster of All Things Must Pass, George Harrison said he found it “difficult to resist remixing every track” to free it from the “Wall of Sound” style that felt dated and over the top. In the end he released the version of All Things Must Pass his fans had known and loved, but what if he had remixed it? What would the reaction be to taking something people feel a connection to and changing it because it no longer suits the artist's changing taste?

Do artists really have a right to alter their work years later as their interest and views change? When musicians put out the newest reissue of a classic album, are they trying to perfect something or merely pull more green from their fans?

Some artists have done just that, and below are five controversial reissues in rock history.

Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails 

Sometimes reissues draw the ire of the musicans as much as the fans. In 2010, Trent Reznor and NIN re-released their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine, including early singles, covers, and unreleased material. In 2011 their label re-released the album again and Trent Reznor jumped on twitter to warn his fans not to buy it; it was merely the label trying to milk his fans for all they were worth.

Feeler by The Toadies

The Toadies are a one hit wonder known primarily for their 1994 single "Possum Kingdom" on the album Rubberneck. In 1997 they recorded a follow-up album entitled Feeler. Their label, Interscope, was unhappy with the record and shelved it. The band broke up in 2001, but the bootlegs of Feeler lived on among the Toadies oddly devoted fan base. The band reunited years later and in 2010 released a rerecorded version of Feeler. Fans finally had a high quality, digital copy of what is often considered the band’s best album, but some songs had been tweaked slightly, some tracks left off, and the songs not as vibrant and rage-filled as their bootleg predecessors.

Body Count by Body Count

Sometimes controversial reissues have nothing to do with the musicians evolving sounds, but intense pressure from outside sources. In 1992 Body Count released their self-titled debut album, featuring the infamous single “Cop Killer," a protest song against police brutality. The song ushered in a massive protest campaign, denounced by everyone from parent groups to the president of the United States. Believing the song's true message had been lost in the controversy, Ice-T recalled the album and re-released it sans “Cop Killer” and left Warner Bros. the following year. Ice-T has said, “If you believe I’m a cop killer, you believe David Bowie is an astronaut."

Smile by The Beach Boys

Brian Wilson’s descent into madness is one of rock’s most legendary crack-ups. We’ve all heard the stories: orchestra members forced to dress as firemen, playing piano in a sandbox, and epic drug use. Smile was never completed, but a handful of tracks made it onto The Beach Boys' 1967 record Smiley Smile. Fans assumed they would never hear Smile the way Brian Wilson intended. Then in 2004 a newly sane and rested Brian Wilson hit the studio with an orchestra and finally released Smile. The track list included new versions of classic songs like “Good Vibrations." The new versions were okay; the new material was good; but overall the album sounded like a cover band doing The Beach Boys. Finally in 2011, cobbled together from various Beach Boys' session, Smile was released in the way The Beach Boys intended and the fans wanted. 

Let It Be…Naked by The Beatles

Let It Be, both the film and the album, is a somber milestone in The Beatles groundbreaking career. The film is a bitter look at a band’s acrimonious dissolution. The album sounds like nothing else in The Beatles catalogue. At John Lennon’s insistence, the demos were given to Phil Spector, who added his “Wall of Sound” production style to it.  The result was an album of female backing vocals, non-sequitor dialogue between tracks, and orchestral overdubs. Paul McCartney hated it. So did George and Ringo. John simply said, "He was given the shittiest load of badly recorded shit with a lousy feeling to it ever, and he made something of it." So in 2003, Paul finally got his wish and released a newly remastered Phil Spector-less Let It Be, entitled Let It Be…Naked. The sound was crisper, some of the tracks almost having a live feel. While most will agree Let It Be…Naked is a better album, it’s not the album fans had embraced for 33 years.  

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)

5 Love Songs

It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air. Is that too corny? How about this? Tonight, millions of couples will breakup over an over-priced meal at some shabby restaurant. How's that for cynicism?

Despite my dislike for Hallmark holidays, I've been thinking about love songs - in which there are countless - but there aren't very many great ones. So many love songs are plagued with cliches, overly dramatic lyrics and histrionic vocal performances.

Nevertheless, I've come up with quite a few good ones. Here are five of my favorites:

 

"Your Song" by Elton John

"Your Song" is one of Elton John's favorite songs: "I don't think I have written a love song as good since." Even Elton's good buddy, John Lennon, was a fan of the song. In a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon stated, "I remember hearing Elton John's 'Your Song,' heard it in America—it was one of Elton's first big hits—and remember thinking, 'Great, that's the first new thing that's happened since we (The Beatles) happened.' It was a step forward. There was something about his vocal that was an improvement on all of the English vocals until then. I was pleased with it." 

 

"Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

I could have chosen "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" or "You're All I Need to Get By." Both are extraordinary songs. Marvin and Tammi were the real thing. When they sang together, it was as if they were making love for the rest of the world to relish.

 

"Let's Stay Together" by Al Green

When Al Green wants to stay together, you have to stick around. Who can turn smooth Reverend Al down? 

 

"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Johnny Cash

Ewan MacColl's 1957 folk song has been covered by numerous artists - Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Elvis Presley, George Michael, The Temptations, Marianne Faithfull and Gordon Lightfoot, just to name a few. Roberta Flack's 1972 version is perhaps the most popular, but Johnny Cash's rendering is nothing short of gut wrenching. Cash's pointed delivery makes his interpretation even more poignant.

 

"Days" by The Kinks

Ray Davies thanks his former lover for the days they had together and has forgiven her for leaving: "Thank you for the days, those endless days, those sacred days you gave me." 

Davies claimed the song was a goodbye to The Kinks' original lineup (founding member, bassist Pete Quaife, left the band soon afterwards).

"Though you're gone, you're with me every single day, believe me."

5 Bookish Bands (Pt. II)

In part one of 5 Bookish Bands (1/3/12) we took a brief look at five literary groups: Modest Mouse, The Doors, Velvet Underground, Steely Dan and Veruca Salt.

Here are five more bands that have searched the dark and vast literary universe to acquire their name.

Band: Gogol Bordello

Author: Nikolai Gogol

Gogol Bordello took their name from Ukrainian-born Russian author Nikolai Gogol, a pioneer of realism. Nothing says gypsy punk like Nikolai Gogol.

Band: The Fall

Source: The Fall

Author: Albert Camus

   

Bassist Tony Freil selected the name from Camus’ philosophical novel for his post-punk band. Nothing says post-punk like Albert Camus.

 

Band: Belle and Sebastian

Source: Belle et Sébastien 

Author: Cécile Aubry 

 

Belle et Sébastien is a French novel about a boy and his dog, living in a village in the Alps. Nothing says hipster like a novel about a boy and his dog.

 

Band: Boo Radleys

Source: To Kill a Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

 

Boo Radley is the reclusive character in Harper Lee's only novel. In his first film role, Robert Duvall played the timeless character in the 1962 adaptation.

 

Band: Steppenwolf

Source: Steppenwolf

Author: Hermann Hesse

 

John Kay named his band after Hermann Hesse’s novel. Nothing says classic rock like classic fiction.

5 Awesome Music Videos

                                                                

I'm old enough to remember when MTV took to the airwaves - August 1, 1981. It didn't take long before MTV assaulted all of us with its slogan, "I want my MTV." I remember the cheesy promotional photos of the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the flag featuring MTV's logo. I even remember the original five VJs - Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn - and thinking none of them had an ounce of talent but at least Martha Quinn was adorable. 

                                                 

I didn't see the first two videos that were aired, The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" and Pat Benatar's "You Better Run," because my family didn't have cable. Both videos are merely mediocre, but here are five killer videos that I have had the opportunity to view. 

Song: "Hurt"

Artist: Johnny Cash

Director: Mark Romanek

Romanek's video captures a beleaguered Cash at the end of his tumultuous life. The video accomplishes what great videos should - it enhances the singer's performance.

 

Song: "Buddy Holly"

Band: Weezer

Director: Spike Jonze

Who's the coolest fictional character of all time? That's right, Fonzie. Well, The Fonz is the star of Spike Jonze's video, so that makes Weezer's video the coolest of all time.

  

Song: "Once in a Lifetime"

Band: Talking Heads

Director: Toni Basil

Remember Toni Basil? She had one that annoying hit in the 80's called "Mickey." She also directed and helped choreograph this video that managed to capture David Byrne's bizarre brilliance. Even though "Once in a Lifetime" didn't receive much radio play, it was in heavy rotation on MTV.

  

Song: "Jeremy"

Band: Pearl Jam

Director: Mark Pellington 

One of the most artistic videos ever. The final scene still gives me goose bumps. Mark Pellington stated, "I think that video tapped into something that has always been around and will always be around. You're always going to have peer pressure, you're always going to have adolescent rage, you're always going to have dysfunctional families."

 

Song: "Sledgehammer"

Artist: Peter Gabriel

Director: Stephen R. Johnson

In 1986, Stephen R. Johnson's video for "Sledgehammer" was considered groundbreaking for "its innovative use of claymation, pixilation and stop-motion animation." Today, it's still impressive.

 

5 Bookish Bands

These five bands have searched the dark and vast universe to acquire their names from the literary world.

Band: Modest Mouse

Source: "The Mark on the Wall"

Author: Virginia Woolf

“I wish I could hit upon a pleasant track of thought, a track indirectly reflecting credit upon myself, for those are the pleasantest thoughts, and very frequent even in the minds of modest, mouse-coloured people, who believe genuinely that they dislike to hear their own praises.”

 

Band: The Doors

Source: The Doors of Perception

Author: Aldous Huxley

The title of Huxley's work was inspired by a William Blake quotation: “If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.”

 

Band: Velvet Underground

Source: The Velvet Underground 

Author: Michael Leigh

Lou Reed, John Cale, and the rest of the Velvets thought that Michael Leigh’s book about the sexual subculture of the early ‘60s was really really groovy. Really.

 

Band: Steely Dan

Source: Naked Lunch

Author: William S. Burroughs

Did you know that a Steely Dan is a strap-on dildo? Did ya? 

 

Band: Veruca Salt

Source: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Author: Roald Dahl

Veruca Salt is the obnoxious rich girl who holds one of the golden tickets. Remember her? Everyone is overjoyed when she falls down an incinerator shaft, never to return. 

5 Things That Make Aretha Franklin Great

             

Aretha has been performing and recording for more than fifty years. She has 45 top 40 hits. She's the undisputed Queen of Soul.

Rolling Stone ranks Aretha as the Greatest Singer of All Time, and there are a million things that contribute to her greatness but here are five simple reasons:

5. 1998 Grammy Awards

With less than 24 hours to prepare, Aretha filled in for the ailing Luciano Pavarotti during the 1998 Grammy Awards. At the time, the public was certainly aware of the Queen of Soul's proficiency in Gospell, R&B, Jazz and Rock and Roll, but who knew that she could sing opera? Her performance of the aria "Nessun Dorma" brought down the house.

4. Juilliard School of Music

Always interested in expanding her musical horizons, the Queen of Soul was accepted to Juilliard's School of Music to study classical piano.

3. Her Piano Chops

Aretha is well known for her vocal prowess, but she also plays a mean piano. Her style is reminiscent of the late-great Ray Charles.

2. She is Who She is

The music comes first, not body image, costume, or makeup. She makes no apologies for who she is.

1. Her Vocal Chops

Nobody can belt it out like the Queen of Soul. Aretha has a four octave range. Enough said!