Introducing THE Pencilstorm Hall of Fame Class of 2016

It wasn't easy, but after thousands of emails, hundreds of beers, countless text messages and even a cold stare or two around the Pencilstorm office, we are proud to announce the 2016 class of THE Pencilstorm Hall of Fame. As happy as we are for the winners, I'd like to remind those that didn't make the cut that there is always next year so don't give up hope. And thanks to all who packed the CD102.5 Big Room Bar for the induction ceremony and an amazing set by Willie Phoenix and The Soul Underground. 

THE Pencilstorm Hall of Fame Class of 2016:

Willie Phoenix   (Click here to read Ricki C. making the case for Willie)

Galaga               (Click here to read Colin making the case for Galaga)

Guns and Roses Live from The Ritz 1988    (click here to read Big $ making the case for GnR)

The CD1025 Andymanathon      (more on this coming soon)

Goodfellas "What's So Funny About Me?" scene.  (Click here to read Wal making the case)

Mean Mr. Mustard's AC/DC - Cult night. ( Click here to read Wal making the case ) 

Mr. Show - Episode 22 "Show Me Your Weenis  (more on this coming soon)

The Knack - Get The Knack  (Scott Carr explains why he supports The Knack) 

Ice Cold Canned Beer  (more on this coming soon)

My Twenty Favorite Springsteen Songs on April 12th, 11:36 A.M. - by Colin Gawel

I'm sitting at Colin's Coffee getting stoked for tonight's Springsteen show and I decided to write out my twenty favorite Springsteen songs. They had to be off the top of my head and the pen could never leave the paper. This sort of thing happens with too much coffee and too few customers. If you want some real Springsteen stories, like the time I hung out with the Boss one on one for about an hour. Click here.

Off the top of my head. My twenty favorite Springsteen songs. They aren't ranked but..this is the order they popped into my head.

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Badlands

Backstreets

The Rising

Reason to Believe

Brilliant Disguise

Leap of Faith

Long Walk Home

Stolen Car

From Small Things Big Things One Day Come

Atlantic City

Straight Time

I Wish I Was Blind

Promised land

Bobby Jean

Tougher Than the Rest

Two Hearts

Wrecking Ball

I'm Going Down

My City of Ruins

(Shit. I forgot Thunder Road)

Colin Gawel wrote this at Colin's Coffee. He is taking his 12 year old son Owen to his 2nd Springsteen show tonight. If you would like to discuss further, please come to the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame party at the CD1025 Big Room Bay on Thursday April 14th. 6-9pm. Willie Phoenix playing at 8. FREE. Details here.

Pencilstorm on Springsteen: Our Top Five Stories So Far

A very wise band from DE-troit, Michigan once said, "The time has come for each and every one of you to decide whether you are gonna be the problem or whether you are gonna the solution."  (I fully realize that adage may have originated elsewhere - like Voltaire, or Benjamin Franklin, or a Marvel comic book - but being a West Side rock & roll boy, I only know it from The MC-5.)  I thought of that quote last Friday when Bruce Springsteen cancelled his North Carolina show over the issue of LGBT rights, and reminded me of those long-lost days when rock stars cared more about social issues and less about how many of their tunes they could peddle to car company commercials, in order to sell their souls to the highest bidder.

So, as a kind of preview to Tuesday's E Street Band show at Value City Arena (there's that highest bidder thing, again) we at Pencilstorm thought we'd post links to our five favorite Bruce stories we've run in the past.  (Later in the week, sometime after the Willie Phoenix show Thursday at the CD 102.5 Big Room Bar during the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame festivities, Ricki C. will be providing his review of the show, which is taking place exactly 40 years & 1 week after the first time Ricki saw Springsteen, April 5th, 1976.)  

Click here to read "The Perfect Age For Rock n Roll Pt 2"  - Ricki C. describes seeing Bruce for the first time in 1976. This whole series is a must, must read. 

Click here to read "My Chance Meeting With Bruce or His chance Meeting With Me" - Colin G. once hung out with Bruce, one on one, for about 45 minutes. Go figure.

Click here to read " A Review of Bruce Springsteen Cincinnati 2014" - Ricki C reviews Bruce 38 years after seeing his first show.

Click here to read "In His Passing, Clarence Has Given Bruce the Gift of Music Everlasting" - Before there was Pencilstorm. Colin wrote this review of the dazzling new E Street line-up on the Wrecking Ball tour for Colingawel.com

Click here to read "Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, Veteran's Memorial, 1978" - Ricki C on his favorite Springsteen show ever.

a little video action from the current tour

Four String Brew's Dan Cochran Talks About Playing in Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

Why Isn't Cheap Trick  in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? is playing Ace of Cups Friday, April 8th. Click here for details

- What is is about Cheap Trick that motivated you to join this band?
 
Dan - I’ve been a Cheap Trick fan for years now.  They have such a great catalog of tunes, and most of it is underrated.  In addition to that, they have toured forever.  It’s great for fans, because they come through most American cities every year.  They headline their own shows, open for obscure bands, play corporate gigs, and come through on festival dates.  If you pay attention, you can see them a couple times of year without having to travel very far.
 
 - Tom Petersson and his 12-string bass have a very distinctive sound, how has your rig evolved over the years trying to simulate it?
 
Dan - When we started this thing four years ago, I really had no idea what I was getting into.  The first few years, I used one of my Fender basses and my regular rig.  I’ve always played with my fingers and continued to do so on the Cheap Trick tunes.  In the end, it didn’t feel right and it didn’t sound right.  What a lot of people don’t understand is that Petersson’s sound is most of what you hear in the Cheap Trick sound.  His bass covers a giant frequency range, and the way he plays holds down the bottom end while creating melody and full harmonic range at the same time is truly distinctive.  

Once I really started listening to the Budokan record, I realized that he was playing most of the parts.  What I thought was guitarist Rick Nielsen in so many places was actually Petersson.  Nielsen really just paints on top of everything with tasty leads (and writes nearly all of the tunes).  Even Robin Zander plays more guitar live than people think…..and not like a pussy either (Bono).  So, I realized last year that I needed to take the plunge and get the 12-string bass sound going.  For those who don’t know, Tom Petersson literally invented the 12-string bass.  His basses have multiple outputs and he splits his signal in many ways.  Nobody knows for sure exactly how he is crossing the frequencies. He also changes his amplifiers on a regular basis.  For me, part of the fun of going to see CT is to stand stage left in front of Petersson and look at what amps he brought out.  It’s different every time, and always totally bad-ass.  

Dan Working on Gonna Raise Hell at his Brewery. Photo by Chris Casella. Bass Tuning by Oscar.

I decided against buying a 12-string bass.  What I would want is ridiculously expensive and I’m still not convinced it would sound right.  So, the challenge is to get a distorted 12-string bass sound from a 4-string bass.  With some help from bandmate Rick Kinsinger, I started building the rig.  I have played with bass distortion for many years, and there is a major problem with it.  No matter what pedal you use, the low end goes away when the distortion is engaged.  So, the answer is to split the signal.  I use my regular rig for a clean low end.  It’s a Traynor 200 watt bass head on an Ampeg SVT ported 4x10.  For the high end, I’m basically putting a guitar half-stack on top of my other amp. This year I’m using a Sovtek 50 watt head on a vintage Music Man folded cabinet.   The high end signal is run through distortion and a pitch fork pedal.  The pitch fork gives me the octaves for the 12-string sound.  Together, it sounds killer!  

The other issue is what bass to use.  When I plug a Fender bass through it, it sounds great, but not like Petersson.  Last year I used a vintage Gibson Thunderbird.  It was perfect!  Everything I wanted.  Lately, Petersson has been playing a semi-hollow body Gretsch 12-string.  I recently found a 4-string version of the bass that is really cool.  That’s what I’m using for the show this year.  The hollow body gets a great low end tone and tons of feedback!  It’s basically a giant guitar envy setup, which has been a lot of fun. 

- Do you feel like Tom gets enough credit strictly as a bass player? 
 
Dan - No, I don’t think he does. I think it’s linear with Cheap Trick as a band.  They are one of the great bands in rock & roll, and most people don’t realize it.  Petersson is the same way.  If you ask bass players who their favorite players are, his name doesn’t usually come up.  It’s probably because of his crazy tone and 12-string basses.  What CT fans need to know is that his sound IS Cheap Trick.  His sound covers the entire stage.  He’s more than a bass player.  There aren’t many other examples of this.  John Entwistle from The Who is one.  I remember reading an interview with Pete Townsend talking about the reunion tour The Who did back in the late 80’s.  They decided that because of hearing damage, the stage volume would have to stay below 90 db.  The problem was that when The Ox wasn’t able to turn the full rig on, they had to hire strings, keys, and horns to sonically fill things out.  Petersson does the same thing.
 
 - What are your favorite Cheap Trick songs to perform live?
 
Dan -  I really like the heavy stuff….Auf Wiedersehen, He’s a Whore, On Top of the World, etc.
 
- Who are some of your other favorite bass players?
 
Dan -  There are so many: James Jamerson, Donald “Duck” Dunn, John Paul Jones and Paul McCartney are a few.
 
 - Four String Brewing is going through a major expansion and you have two young ones at home, how do you find the time to squeeze in a project like this?
 
Dan - That’s a great question.  My time has gotten really tight in the last year or two.  We just built a new production facility on the West side, expanded the Grandview taproom, and opened distribution in the rest of the state.  I decided a few months ago to promote my two year old son, Oscar.  He’s basically running the show these days: running the brewery, booking gigs, and working as my bass tech.  He gets a little whiny sometimes, but I don’t have to pay him.  It’s a good deal.  The brewers get a little pissed off that they have to report to a two year old, but whatever.
 
- If I stopped by the Four String Taproom and I hear some Cheap Trick playing, what beer would go best with that?
 
Dan - Definitely a Brass Knuckle Pale Ale!
 
 - Any chance of a special edition 12 String Brew in honor of Tom Petersson making the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
 
Dan - I think we would have to brew (3) Four String beers for the math to work.

Dan Cochran is a founding member of the band Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? and the Four String Brewing Company. He also plays bass in Colin Gawel and The Lonely Bones and toured the world and elsewhere with the band Big Back 40. Four String Brew is available everywhere so look for it on a tap or in a store.

Auf Wiedersehen / Goodnight - Cheap Trick Live 01-21-89 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Tom Petersson Hoisting a Four String Brew to Honor Dan.

An Interview with Colin Gawel From Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? - Ricki C.

Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? will be playing their final show ay Ace of Cups Friday April 8th. Teenage Fanclub Fanclub opens the show at 6pm. FREE. Click here for details.

Ricki: How did the whole "Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" project come about?

Colin: My son is big into basketball, so I spend an inordinate amount of time sitting in gyms during the winter months. At one point during halftime somewhere, I think maybe Olentangy Orange Middle school, I got to thinking about how it's total bullshit that Cheap Trick isn't in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I used to have that thought a lot. Somehow, the idea of starting a band that was actually called "Why isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" popped into my brain. I looked up the date of that year's induction ceremony, e-mailed the good folks at the Beachland Ballroom and pitched the idea. I had the whole thing booked by the end of the game. Of course, I had no plan or band, but I figured i could work that out later. 

Thankfully, the guys from The Lonely Bones were game with helping on the project. I'm proud to say we have come a long way since that first year. 

Ricki: Do you think you guys actually made an impact and helped Cheap Trick get into the Rock hall this year?

Colin: Obviously, Cheap Trick did all the heavy lifting by being Cheap Trick, but I think overall, the passion of their fan base pushed them over the top. I think we helped in a fun way and certainly our little band got lots of press in The Onion, Rolling Stone and Salon - among others - Andy Gray at the Youngstown Trib jumps to mind- so It was just a way to keep the idea alive and drink beer while doing so. But Cheap Trick has a huge network of dedicated fans working for this cause. Numerous fan pages and petitions were circulating. Ken Mills did a nice job on the subject in his podcast and DJ's like Lou Brutus, Howard Stern and Brian Phillips have been banging the Cheap Trick drum for years. 

It just goes to show what an impact Cheap Trick has made on so many people. As much as people champion other bands for the Rock Hall on Facebook, nobody actually does anything to make it happen. Cheap Trick fans were active and engaged in the cause and that says a lot about their relationship with their fans. So if you want the MC5 or Journey in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, get off your ass and organize. It can be done. Cheap Trick is living proof of that.

Ricki: Many people hate the idea of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and say it's better to not be inducted.

Colin: I know. That's not my opinion. There are all sorts of museums. Why not have one for rock n roll? A hall of fame is supposed to encourage conversation and debate. (see: Steroids and the Baseball Hall of Fame.) I'm all for anything that keeps rock n roll alive and the rock hall serves this purpose. Even when bands like Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments dis the hall, if validates it all the same. I mean, they care enough to write a song about blowing it up. The worst thing that could happen would be indifference. That isn't happening. People have very strong opinions about the institution itself and who should be included. I could post something about Mott the Hoople and the rock hall right now and get 20 comments in sixty seconds. Also, I know a few of the folks at the rock hall and they are good people. Fans like you and me. I mean, who is cooler than Lisa V.? Umm, nobody. That is the rock and roll hall of fame.

And I suppose it makes me a homer but I like that it's in Cleveland. If we can't get a sports title at least I can stare at Keith Moon's drum kit when I feel like it. My son and I visit every year and we always have a great time. Once again, what's not to like? Lighten up people. It's only rock and roll. 

Ricki: Watershed - when they were still a full-blown touring band entity - once did a show playing all Cheap Trick covers, kind of a precursor to Why Isn' t Cheap Trick In the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? What was the story on that?

Colin: If you have read the book Hitless Wonder you know Watershed only exists because of Cheap Trick. We cut our teeth growing up trying to play Cheap Trick covers so at some point we just decided to string them all together and do a free show. I think we did it at Skully's the same day the record Rockford came out. Not my favorite record, by the way. Click here to check out my complete Cheap Trick song rankings.

Trying to be like Cheap Trick helped Watershed become unique because nobody can be as good as Cheap Trick. It's just not possible. So we found our own little niche. Bands that aspire to sound like REM, U2, RHCP or even The Replacements just turn into half-assed versions of those bands. It's too easy. 

Ricki: Most of the Robin Zander lead vocals on Cheap Trick tunes are pitched in your old bandmate Joe Oestreich's vocal range. How do you pull those vocals off now?  

Colin: Before I answer that, let me say that  drums, bass and guitar all have their challenges to do these songs justice. Herb needs to ride the snare, Dan has to get close to Tom's sound and Rick has to play all those quirky Rick licks. As far as vocals go, about two weeks before the first Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? gig I thought I better get it together on vocals or this shit could go viral in a bad way. For the first time in my life I started doing vocal exercises and stuff like that. I can do it, but I have to be in good shape to pull it off. I think it has helped my singing overall, though.

Ricki: What was the first Cheap Trick song you learned to play all the way through? And how old were you when you learned it?

Colin: The quick answer would be "Hello There," but as for a more proper song I would guess "Downed." Both from the soundtrack to Over the Edge. Probably 6th or 7th grade?

Ricki: What's the most difficult Cheap Trick song to play? And what is the easiest?

Colin: For us, they are all challenging. I mean, in theory a song like "Surrender" shouldn't be very difficult but it's hard to do right without being Cheap Trick. Try it with your band and it won't sound good the first 20 times you play it. It may never sound good.  

Rick's writing is very quirky. Even the simple stuff suddenly drops in an A# just for the hell of it. "I Want You to Want Me" is pretty easy for me because it's basically a drum part and guitar solo with one guy singing over top. Rick and Herb have the hard work on that one. Vocally "Tonight It's You" is very challenging. And for songs like "Speak Now" and "Gonna Raise Hell" Dan has to have his bass sound locked in or it just sounds like over cooked pasta.

Ricki: Were there any Cheap Trick tunes you started to rehearse and then realized, "Damn, we're not good enough to do justice to this."?

We were doing "It's Only Love" from The Doctor for a while but it's a pain in the ass and nobody really liked it anyway, so we dropped it.

Ricki: These have always been free shows. It's obviously a lot of work to promote and perform. Why no cover charge?

It just wouldn't be a good fit for this project. We aren't trying to profit from the cause or from Cheap Trick's music. We have sold a decent amount of Why Isn't Cheap Trick in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame? t-shirts but we plow the money back into advertising for the cause. We usually pass the hat at the end of shows and that helps us cover gas, beer and babysitters. Click here to read 'Your Shirt Sucks' a Cheap Trick recap. 

Ricki: You guys promised to disband when Cheap Trick got the nod, what are you guys going to do now?

For me, I need to spend the rest of the year getting a new Watershed record together. And I'm shooting a video for my solo track "Dad Can't Help You Now" in the near future. With Pencilstorm, the coffee shop and coaching little league, my plate is pretty full. I'm sure we will show up sometime under a new name. I mean, it's just too much fun playing these songs: maybe, I Love You Honey But I Hate Your Friends - A Tribute to Cheap Trick. Yeah, something like that may work.

Buggy Eyes and a Big Butt, part five: Movies 67-74

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Ratings key:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ = I can’t see giving anything that I’ve seen once five stars
★ ★ ★ ★ = get to the theater / move it up in your queue
★ ★ ★ = “three stars is a recommendation” - The Empire [magazine] Podcast
★ ★ = if the remote is too far away, you could do worse
★ = if the remote is too far away, get someone to move it closer then throw it at the TV

067
Dogfight (1991) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: River Phoenix, Lili Taylor
director: Nancy Savoca

The night before they ship off to fight in Vietnam, a group of soldiers play another round of Dogfight, in which they each try to find the ugliest girl for a cash prize.

Lili Taylor is amazing and a perfect counter to River Phoenix's intensity. It’s a shame he’s dead. And it’s a shame she’s not in more things these days. [checking Lili Taylor’s filmography] Whoa. She’s worked a lot lately. Consistently, really, since she started. OK, it’s a shame I don’t watch the things she makes these days.

double feature pairing: Tigerland

068
Ricki and the Flash (2015) ★ ★.5
stars: Meryl Streep, Mamie Gummer, Kevin Kline
director: Jonathan Demme
writer: Diablo Cody

At first scene I thought this movie was going to correctly illustrate how few people will see an unknown, touring band. Ricki and the Flash play a show to virtually nobody. A few disinterested people at tables. A small handful are paying attention to the band, who belt out “American Girl.” It’s a cover, sure, but what band doesn’t pepper a few into their set.

As the movie went on it’s clear RATF is a cover band, with a residency. It’s the level she’s come to rest after an unsuccessful original music career, a broken marriage and a reluctance to keep in contact with her kids. I can sympathize a bit with Ricki, but her kids are right to be pissed.

Also, a cover band regularly playing the same venue pulls a bigger crowd than what's portrayed above. That? That's what Wichita looks like for a Columbus band.

The movie is fine yet frustrating. She plays a song of her own for her ex-husband and daughter. However, when it comes time to give the gift of song to her son at his wedding reception (because it’s all she has!), she opts to play a Bruce Springsteen cover.

Spoiler alert: she wins over all the stuffed shirts at the event. Everyone is happy and all is forgiven. [to the tune of a foghorn] Buuuuulll-shiiiiiit.

watch Crazy Heart instead

069
Stagecoach (1939) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine
director: John Ford

A group of strangers take the stagecoach for various reasons. All secrets will be revealed as they try to stay one step ahead of the attacking Apache.

Yep, it’s a worthy classic. The ambush of the stagecoach is still thrilling. There’s suspense in the slow reveal of everyone’s motivations. No wonder its influence on the westerns and action movies that followed.

double feature pairing: Hombre

070
Seven Samurai (1954) ★ ★ ★ ★ 
stars: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima
director: Akira Kurosawa

Farmers of 15th century Japan hire samurai to protect their village from bandits.

Like Stagecoach, this movie inspired imitations. Unlike Stagecoach, I don’t think this original has been bettered. Great action and humor. Some incredibly heart-wringing moments.

Despite my appreciation for it, I got a little antsy. Three and a half hours is a long time to sit through something. I think any movie over three hours should be seen in the theater. There are too many distraction watching something that long at home.

double feature pairing: 13 Assassins

071
The Wave (2015) ★ ★ ★
stars: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Thomas Bo Larsen
director: Roar Uthaug

A rockslide in a Norwegian fjord causes and tsunami, turning the inhabitants’ lives into a world of hurt.

It’s a disaster movie that hits all the standard beats. There’s the geologist who sees the problem, even though everyone else thinks he’s overreacting. There’s the sullen teen who causes more trouble because he’s doing what he wants. And you’ve got people acting randomly because people, other than the leads, have to die.

It’s a disaster movie that doesn’t have to pile on a bunch of nonsense, either. Rockslide causes tsunami, people deal with it. That’s it. It doesn’t set off a chain of rockslide tsunamis or cause all the moose to attack. It’s simple tension within a well-known template and a thousand times better than anything I saw in the first hour of San Andreas, which is all I watched of that garbage.

And now, some Norwegian insight:

In the opening scene, our hero flips all through the dial trying to find some music not for these damned kids today. “I’m 40,” he screams as he finds “Splitter Pine” from DumDum Boys, the best Norwegian rock band. He and I both cheer.

Dagbladet was misplaced in the VG section of a newspaper rack in the hotel lobby. The production designer dropped the ball, I thought. Not so fast, says a VG representative. "We actually do find examples now and then that this happens in real life, and do constantly have to educate the retailers.” The production designer is a genius! Someone give Lina Nordqvist an award.

double feature pairing: Earthquake

072
The Naked Face (1984) ★
stars: Roger Moore, Rod Steiger, Elliott Gould
screenwriter/director: Bryan Forbes

A psychiatrist is on someone hit list. The cops are no help so he looks into the who and why himself.

A flatline thriller from the start. Rod Steiger plays it big. Elliott Gould plays it small. And Roger Moore plays it with huge eyeglasses.

watch D.O.A. instead

073
Harold and Maude (1971) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort
director: Hal Ashby

Death-obsessed Harold meets free-spirit Maude. A May-December romance for the ages.

It’s as great as they say. Very funny and dark. Some great juxtapositions that should be in a museum.

double feature pairing: The Fisher King

074
Bridge of Spies (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda
director: Steven Spielberg
writers: Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

An insurance lawyer is tapped to defend a captured Soviet spy and later to negotiate a swap for a fallen U.S. pilot.

It’s a lot better than the trailer made me think it would be. I’d heard people crying about its runtime. Sure, it’s long, but I couldn’t see anything substantial that could have been cut. It’s well written and acted. The first ten minutes is some delicious spy meat and potatoes.

double feature pairing: The Falcon and the Snowman

Counters:
74/366 movies (14 movies off pace)*
12/52 movies directed by women

THE TOP THREE

*Just because I didn't do my job watching movies doesn't mean you should be shorted on your entertainment. So here is a video sampling of DumDum Boys:

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index