Welcome, fair readers, to the first weekly local and national music news round-up, which pays doting homage to savvy former Rocket columnist Johnny Renton, who, incidentally, is welcome over at the house for a drink anytime. The Rocket and Renton’s column sparked my interest especially in indie and northwest rock when I was a wee lad.
This inaugural voyage begins last Thursday at Built To Spill’s sans-set-list gig at the WOW Hall. The improvised order helped the band play inspired renditions of songs such as “Car,” “Carry the Zero,” and “The Source,” along with Talking Heads and George Harrison covers, before closing with an obligatory 10-minute jam session. But the band’s decision also prompted a pathetic barrage of song requests from the crowd, most of which the band patiently, gracefully ignored — especially the tired antics of one man asking for “Free Bird” — in part because so many song titles were yelled at once, the rabble became unintelligible. Eventually, one sarcastic fan yelled, “Please play every song you’ve ever done,” prompting a chuckle from the otherwise reserved band members. But the verbal pounding continued even after frontman Doug Martsch announced the band would devote the last 20 minutes of its set to the songs “they had to play,” finally causing one fan to loudly announce he was amidst the worst crowd ever. At times, the claim was hard to refute. Crowd antics aside, Built To Spill are still the Rolling Stones of Northwest indie rock and still the closest thing to a jam band Mr. Lang can tolerate, let alone love for an hour and change.
Speaking of Rolling Stone, the magazine’s Web site featured some wonderful insights from the Energizer Bunny of pop music herself, Stevie Nicks, about her new album, “Trouble in Shangri-La.”
“It’s a little less mystical and a little more clear, because I was trying to be very clear. I wanted to make sure this time around that this was a very understood record,” Nicks said, clearly.
A year has actually passed since Sisqo rapped his way into our hearts and souls with his anthem to love at first sight, “Thong Song.” His follow-up album and opportunity to escape one-hit-wonderdom was released last week, and Mr. Dragon revealed that a Sisqo doll will also be unleashed on toy stores soon, an idea he first considered quite corny. “But think about it,” he told Rolling Stone, “if somebody asked you, ‘Can we make a doll out of you?’ would you really say no?” Sadly, Mr. Lang would have to. No word on whether the doll will come with your choice of thong color accessory.
The weekend brought a mass pilgrimage up I-5 and over to the Gorge Amphitheater for Radiohead‘s only Northwest appearance. Amid snubbing states like Oregon with uncool venues, the band took time out to lend their voices to an episode of South Park, airing July 11, in which the band somehow becomes a linchpin in Cartman’s plan to pass off someone else’s pubic hair as his own. The “Amnesiac” track “I Might Be Wrong” will also appear on television promotions for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Other news from the Emerald City area: Last week Jennifer J.Lo Lopez turned Seattle upside down with her visit to the fair town for a movie shoot, resembling the hoopla when Latin heartthrob Benicio Del Toro stopped in Portland and the local media lovingly stopped the presses to cover his every move and sighting in restaurants and bars. The incident has prompted Mr. J.La to question when Eugene will get its celebrity visitor. Maybe James Caan? A new Mark Wahlberg movie, perhaps?
Or maybe a stop by from Go-Gos leader Belinda Carlisle, as the countdown continues to her nude spread in August’s Playboy Magazine. Just goes to show what happens when they let Fred Durst into that place. Notice Carlisle not referred to as “former leader.” The band actually released an album in May titled, “God Bless the Go-Gos.” If you also knew that little tidbit, congrats; you also know too much about music in general.
Finally, from the TV side of things, MTV is still reeling from the news that its show “Fear” gained both zero fans and Emmy nominations. Wanting to assure that an MTV series doesn’t bomb again, the network has signed up for a sure-fire hit called “Skirts” starring none other than Paula Abdul. Casting is underway for the pilot, which (gasp!) will be about cheerleading and dancing. Abdul, who will play the cheerleading coach, told Entertainment Weekly the show will mix the sexiness of “Baywatch” with the drama of “Melrose Place.” Forecast calls for scattered showers of Golden Globes.
Best bet for live music this week: Kelly Joe Phelps’ swampy blues performance Saturday and Sunday at the Dexter Music Festival will be the perfect medicine for those feeling the blues in the wake of John Lee Hooker’s death last week.