Bruce Springsteen Finally Breaks Down and Gets a Steady Job - by Ricki C.

(Official Pencilstorm Disclaimer: We have no definitive way to prove it - other than the fact that Ricki C. sent out previews to a couple of his close friends - but Ricki penned this piece in late August.  On September 27th Jon Pareles published a story entitled Bruce Springsteen On Broadway: The Boss On His 'First Real Job.'  in the New York Times.  This either proves that great minds think alike, or that the Pencilstorm editors should run Ricki's blogs right when he finishes them, rather than a month later.)  

On October 3rd, 2017 Bruce Springsteen will commence a series of shows at the intimate (960 seats) Walter Kerr Theater on Broadway in New York City, with the residency concluding February 3rd, 2018.   Right, that’s five shows a week, for FOUR MONTHS STRAIGHT!  In one way, I view this as insanity on Bruce’s part, in another way I think it’s admirable that Mr. Springsteen – who will turn 68 years old September 23rd – has finally decided to get a steady job.

Bruce Springsteen – as regular patrons of Pencilstorm and my earlier solo blog, Growing Old With Rock & Roll are well aware – is my Number One rock & roll hero of all time, replacing Pete Townshend in that role sometime around September 1978, when Keith Moon died and The Who ran off the rails for good.  (But that’s a whole other blog for a whole ‘nother day.)    

However, I find it mind-boggling that in his sixth decade on the planet Bruce would think it’s a good idea to play for four months straight in the same theater, night in, night out, night in, night out, etc. etc., ad nauseum.  I think Colin would agree that much of the attraction of playing rock & roll shows is traveling around the country with your best friends in a van or a bus or a plane (depending on your level of success in the Rock & Roll Sweepstakes), staying in hotels and eating in different restaurants/fast food places every day.  Why Springsteen would choose now to embark on a real job where he’ll carry his lunch bucket & thermos to work every day, punch a clock and play his guitar eludes me.   

Even given that Number One Rock & Roll hero business detailed above and taking in the fact I’ve seen every Springsteen tour since Born To Run in 1976, I won’t be attending the shows on Broadway, for a number of reasons:  

1) The ticket process was/is incredibly complicated, and I didn’t want to get involved.  (Truthfully, I’m just lazy and so damn technologically disempowered that I couldn’t be bothered.  I know it’s wrong, and Luddite-like, but I LONG for the days I could just walk into Sears and buy a Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band ticket for the Darkness On The Edge of Town tour.  Or camp out overnight at Buzzard’s Nest Records on Morse Road to get a ticket for the Born In The U.S.A. tour.  Without one of those campout lines, I would never have met my second-best Bruce Springsteen friend Chris Clinton, and a beautiful friendship in my life would never have happened.  And that fact was FAR more important than whatever ticket I got for that tour.)

2) The tickets range in price from $75 to $750 (or thereabouts).  I cannot, with a clear conscience, purchase a ticket – even for Bruce Springsteen, my blah-blah-blah Number One Rock & Roll Hero of All Time – for more than I paid for my first Fender Stratocaster back in 1973.  And make no mistake, I’m not begrudging my millionaire-many-times-over Rock Hero his cash, more power to him if individuals are willing to pony up that kinda dough, but I cannot – financially or philosophically –  participate in that enterprise.

3) If I WERE going to attend the Broadway residency, I would have a hard time deciding WHEN to attend.  There’s going to have to be some kind of weird law-of-diminishing-returns arc to the Broadway run, i.e. the first few weeks in October and November, I figure Bruce is going to be easing into the process, refining the show, making it up as he goes along, even within the exacting parameters he has planned his sets by since the very beginnings of his career.  Then, by December, I figure  things are gonna be HUMMING along: Bruce is gonna have his legs under him, having discerned how to play that 900-seat theater like Chuck Berry ringin’ a bell, things are gonna be cool, life is gonna be good.  But then I’m wonderin’ about mid-to-late January: is Springsteen gonna start burnin’ out on going to that Real Job every night, every night, every night?  I’d like to think at that tedium-tipping point Bruce might start coming up with Theme Nights: all Wilson Pickett covers one night; all Rolling Stones non-LP b-sides another night; bringing Patti along another night and doing all Steve Lawrence & Edie Gorme, Sonny & Cher, and Serge Gainsboug & Francoise Hardy covers.

Now THAT'S a show I would pay $75 and drive to New York City to see.  – Ricki C. / Labor Day, 2017.      

Concert Review & Gallery - Steve Earle & The Dukes - Fillmore, Detroit, September 21, 2017 - by Jeremy Porter

Steve Earle is really good at his job. Even if he hadn’t reminded us about three times during the course of his set, we would have known. He brings an air of professionalism, comfort, and yes - work - to the stage. “I’m sure that this is what I was put here to do, and I’m pretty good at it.” he said during an extended soliloquy over the intro to his last song. “I’ve fucked up pretty much everything else I’ve ever done.” he admitted, adding “I’m a pretty good dad.” as an afterthought.  

He’s become a bit of a polarizing figure over the years. His fans love his dedication to songwriting, his outspoken politics, and the history around his descent into heroin addiction, resulting in arrests and jail time, and ultimately his recovery and his subsequent return to the stage as one of the most respected and in-demand statesmen of the Americana music scene. There’s also the actor (great smaller roles on HBO’s Treme and The Wire) and the author (Doghouse Roses), adding to the resume of one of America’s greatest musical treasures.

His detractors have a hard time stomaching his intense southern-drawl-delivery, and there is some dichotomy in a hillbilly guitar player from Texas, then Nashville, taking such a hard-left political stance in an industry that generally leans the other way.  No doubt many bailed ship when he sobered up and took a more visible place on the soapbox, these days set up right in the heart of liberal Manhattan.  

Any naysayers seemed far away at The Fillmore last Thursday night. More often than not a general admission venue, it was a different setting, with folding chairs set up and no standing room.  It was clearly an older, mellower crowd, in stark contrast to most of the other shows I’ve seen there. It seemed pleasant and safe, lacking that punk-rock tension I am so familiar with at shows. (Is that a positive?) All things considered, I was open to and happy for the change, and settled in comfortably to enjoy the show.  

At 8 pm sharp, Earle came out to introduce the duo of Chris Masterson and his wife Elanor Whitmore - collectively The Mastersons - followed by 30 minutes of their folkrock/americana. The sound was rich & warm and surprisingly full for the 2-piece. as they focused mostly on their new album “Transient Lullaby.” Chris has a distinctive delivery that’s reminiscent of Gary Louris of the Jayhawks (I imagine he tires of hearing that). Elanor’s beautiful harmonies and leads, accompanied by her fiddle playing, blend well with Chris’ voice and guitar, creating a rich depth. They have great songs and an undeniable chemistry.   

Exactly 30 minutes later, they came back out for their day jobs as members of The Dukes, with their boss right behind, dressed in jeans and a leather vest, looking more fit and healthy than I’ve seen him, and playing a baby-blue Telecaster Deluxe. They kicked right into the title track of his latest album “So You Wanna be an Outlaw,” an homage to the great country albums of the early-to-mid 70s, specifically the classic “Honky-Tonk Heroes” record by Waylon Jennings. Energy was high and there were smiles all around as he was clearly taking an early stock of the audience, the room, and the sound bouncing around.  

The majority of the set was focused on the newer material, which is really strong and well-suited for the seated crowd. "News from Colorado" was an early standout, and one of my favorites from the album. He snuck his first single, "Guitar Town" in there early, with Masterson easily handling the vintage Nashville licks fans have grown accustomed to since it was a top-10 hit in 1986.  At about the mid-point, the triple whammy of Copperhead Road > Tanneytown > Hardcore Troubadour was unleashed to the delight of the crowd, who were now on their feet.  For any newbies, Copperhead Road is probably his best-known song, and like Tanneytown, a great visual narrative that is backed by gritty guitar work and ascending dramatic delivery.  If you’re looking, both are great places to start.  

When you walk into a Steve Earle show, you know going in that the music isn’t the only thing you’re going to get.  He has something to say, and he’ll make damn sure he gets it out. His banter can be dark & self-assessing or charged & political, and often delivered with a dry, humorous punchline. He touched on everything from the hurricanes, earthquakes and fires we’re seeing in North America, to the “orangutan” we elected as president last November, to his realization that he’s ultimately a romantic in every sense of the word. It got particularly deep and personal as he pondered the recent end of his seventh marriage and how he may eventually have to face the fact that there just might not be someone out there for everyone. If it came across like a therapy session, the audience was right there on the couch with him, enjoying the revealing look into the head that wrote all those great songs.  

Yeah, Steve Earle is really good at his job, and there was a certain feeling that he was at work during the show, but not in the way some miserable rock stars obviously phone it in and just want to get it over with. He treats it like work, with a full comprehension around the expectations of the product he’s being paid to deliver. But he loves this job, and never for one moment seemed to be going through the motions. He came across as sincere, gracious and engaged, focused and determined. His work ethic resulted in a quality couple hours of great art, and we walked away feeling thoroughly fulfilled.  Seeing someone like Steve Earle, who is 30+ years into a music career, and enjoying the new stuff as much as the old stuff, and witnessing a master at his craft, is a gift. Just pro in every way.  

Steve Earle's Website

Steve Earle's new album So You Wanna Be An Outlaw is available now! It's a fantastic collection of bluesy rock and roll, traditional country rock, and honest Americana.  One of the best of the year!  

~~~

Jeremy Porter lives near Detroit and fronts the rock and roll band Jeremy Porter And The Tucos. Follow them on Facebook to read his road-blog chronicling their adventures and see his photo series documenting the disgusting bathrooms in the dives they play. He's a whiskey snob, an unapologetic fan of "good" metal, and couldn't really care less about the UofM - OSU rivalry since he once saw The Stones at the Horseshoe. Still, go blue.     

www.thetucos.com
www.facebook.com/jeremyportermusic  
@jeremyportermi
www.rockandrollrestrooms.com

Pencilstorm Interview: Columbus' Armada

Columbus' Armada will play one of its final shows this Saturday, Sept. 30 at King Avenue 5 rock and sports bar at 9:00pm. The Buckeyes will be on the TVs with a killer soundtrack provided by Armada. Pencilstorm sat down with Armada's lead singer, Wal Ozello, to find out more about the show and the band.

Tell me about how Armada met and your first gig?
Steve and Ted met in high school at Worthington and played in a band called Signals, inspired by their love of Rush.  Steve and I met at a bar called Jousters on North Campus where BW3s is now and hit it off when he found out I was a singer. Ted and Dave knew each other from church of all places, but Ted knew Dave played a killer guitar.  We all had a love of complex and rocking music like Rush, Journey, Triumph and Tesla.  We clicked from day one. Our first gig was opening up for Zaza at the Alrosa Villa on a Sunday night.  Sundays were commonly known as employee nights since that’s really all who were in the audience.  But it was our first show and a ton of people came out to see us.  We had this eclectic group of fans. Dave was well known at the Alrosa so many of the regulars came out to see him.  Ted and Steve had their followers from the Signal days and were in a Fraternity on campus. I knew a bunch of people from OSU that drove out for the show, plus a few friends came down from Cleveland.  We asked all of our fans to leave the stage after the show and head up to the bar area so Rick would know how many of our fans showed up.  Needless to say, after we played our set the floor was empty but the bar was packed.  Rick seemed to love us so it was off to the races after that.
 
Eventually you guys were headlining weekends at the Alrosa Villa which is no small feat. How did you get to that point? What did those fans dig about you guys?
After the first opening gig with Zaza we played a Friday/Saturday opening with a band called Sgt. Roxx from Chicago.  After two opening gigs, Rick started us as headliners.  Rumor has it that Armada was the quickest band to go from openers to headliners in the history of the Alrosa.  I think it was because we were doing stuff no one else was. People came out to see us play Rush, note for note, followed by Journey and Tesla along with originals that were a mix of all three styles. We brought in such different fans that it was crazy.  I’d look out in the audience to see some long-hair leather jacket wearing Alrosa regular rocking out next to a campus sorority girl in an ΑΧΩ shirt dancing to Any Way You Want It. It was insane.  We really fed off the crowd and it became about making sure they were having a good time and forgetting about the bullshit of life for two hours.  That’s what a real rock show should be about – forgetting about your troubles and enjoying life.  That’s what I think people dug the most.
 
Unlike many bands from that scene, you guys also played originals and cut some records. Did Armada ever have any labels sniffing around considering signing the band?
We released our first album, Don’t Give Up The Ship, in 1992.  It was a mix of our best originals.  Some leaned more towards Progressive Rock, some leaned more towards Mtv Hard Rock.  The guys from Dream Theater loved our sound when we opened for them during their Images and Words tour. We were able to get Don’t Give Up The Ship in front of a few A&R guys but never got any traction.  The reality was that a year earlier Nirvana had released Nevermind and Smells Like Teen Spirit was huge. In shuffled the Seattle sound and everything remotely connected with Hard Rock went in the trash. It was the only era in rock history where no one was looking for that high tenor voice like Geddy Lee, Rik Emmett or Steve Perry. Five years earlier or later, we might have had our chance but in 1992 is was not meant to be.
 
Did you ever imagine standing onstage at the Alrosa Villa in 1992 you would be taking the stage with the same band in 2017?
Yes. I did. I knew we had magic going on.  It was more than the music. We were four guys that wanted to make the best music while making sure our fans had a blast during our shows.  Plus, we had each other’s backs. Always.  It’s great we can make some awesome music that fans love and come out to see us over and over again. Eventually, Armada became very much like a family.  We’re all brothers. One of the songs on Don’t Give Up The Ship is called Blood Brothers which we wrote about us.  The chorus ends, “Blood Brothers… and friends to the end.” There will always be an Armada to me. I can’t imagine life without it.

Armada will be playing a mix of their originals and covers by Rush, Journey, Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Whitesnake, Ozzy Osbourne and more this Saturday, September 30 at 9:00pm at King Avenue 5 in Grandview Hts.  Check out the details here.

Moonbats Pay Trippy Tribute to '60s Era Kinks - by Anne Marie

Expectations were running high Friday night as Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza and Live Music filled to SRO and bartenders Jeremey + Jeremey shimmied to the '60s tunes that blasted from the bar speakers. But more than a handful of folks sported Moonbats t-shirts and only one dude wore a Kinks shirt. Hmmm. Table seating for this show sold out the same day it posted on the Natalie’s calendar which I’d never seen happen before, but now that I was here, I could tell this was due in large part to Mitch (in Moonbats t-shirt) and his party of thirty (30!!!) there to celebrate his 70th birthday. Women in floral high heel boots stood shoulder to shoulder with a group of young-at-heart septuagenarians, one of whom a bit tipsily confided to me that they had met Mitch and first seen The Moonbats play when they were here from Florida a few months back and had now ventured north on a special adventure to see the band play again and celebrate with Mitch.

Ricki C's cousin Robbie C.

You could tell the crowd was primed for a good time when the brief sound check received a raucous reception. Sixties cover band The Moonbats’ first ever Kinks show opened with You Really Got Me and went straight into Tired of Waiting for You.  I know they played Dedicated Follower of Fashion and I think it was next followed by Waterloo Sunset.  I was distracted around that time noticing that one of the servers was a Ricki C. doppelgänger and attempting (fairly unsuccessfully) to snap of photo of him for proof. Colin showed up in time for All Day & All of the Night, followed by Sunny Afternoon, Victoria (best Kinks song of the night for me), then ?? (uh-oh, I was either still jumping around from Victoria or ordering another drink here), David Watts and Lola as the big finale to the first set. I stayed for about five songs into the second set - none of which were Kinks songs - and the best of which, by far, was The Moonbats covering The Doors.  I’d definitely go see The Moonbats again: and if they ever do another Kinks tribute, I’d encourage them to go a bit deeper and pull Kinks songs for the second set as well.  Some Mother’s Son (I love my protest songs), Destroyer, Superman, Father Christmas, Set Me Free… I'm sure you all have your favorites.

Anne Marie covers the Wexner Center and other stuff for Pencilstorm.

Kiss Rules The Month Of September - by Scott Carr

If you are a Kiss fan, you know that September is a very busy month in the band's history. Or if you will, Kisstory.  The band has released more records in the month of September than any other month, followed closely by October.

The trend of releasing albums in September goes all the way back to the September 10th, 1975 release of the bands seminal career-launching double live album Alive! No question, if this album had not taken off, we would not be having this discussion today.  The band's career was in serious jeopardy as their first three studio albums had been major duds in the sales department. Luckily for myself and Kiss fans around the world, Alive! became the bands first million seller and gave the band a second wind.

Next up in the September cycle of releases for Kiss came on September 18th, 1978 when the band released their individual solo albums. Each band member had their own full-length album but all were marketed under the Kiss name. Some would say it was one of the most brilliant concepts ever attempted in the music business while others say a complete fiasco. I wrote a detailed recap that you can read here.....

During the 1980's the September releases for Kiss really kicked into high gear beginning with 1983's Lick It Up, released on September 18, 1983. Lick It Up was the band's first studio record to feature lead guitarist Vinnie Vincent who had replaced original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley during the previous years Creatures of the Night Tour. Lick It Up also marked the first time the band had appeared on an album cover without their signature makeup. The official unmasking of Kiss happened on the same day of the album's release during a special appearance on MTV.  Lick It Up was a solid record and brought the band back to platinum-selling status after the declining sales of their previous records, Unmasked and (Music From) The Elder. 

A world tour followed the release of Lick It Up, but by the time September of 1984 rolled around Kiss had another new record hitting the shelves. Animalize was released on September 13, 1984. Animalize pretty much continued were Lick It Up left off and Kiss once again had a million seller on their hands. The band had also ushered in another new lead guitarist for this record. Mark St. John replaced Vinnie Vincent for the recording of Animalize. Shortly after the albums release Mark would be replaced by Bruce Kulick due to an illness that affected Marks ability to play guitar.

Another tour followed and by September 1985 Kiss returned to the record stores with Asylum. Released on September 16, 1985, Asylum became the third million seller in a row for Kiss. The band was definitely on a roll and for Kiss fans it was like Christmas every September. It's pretty amazing to think how quickly the band were delivering a new record. In today's market you are lucky to get a new record from your favorite band every five years and Kiss fans were getting a new record every year!

After three consecutive September releases there was a two-year gap before Kiss delivered their next album. Crazy Nights was released on September 18, 1987 and although it seemed like a lifetime between records Crazy Nights proved to be another hit for the band and their fourth platinum record in a row. Crazy Nights was a much more polished affair than previous Kiss releases but the album spawned several MTV hits including the albums opening anthem "Crazy Crazy Nights."

Kiss' next studio album Hot In The Shade arrived in mid-October of 1989 marking the end of their 1980's September juggernaut and also the string of platinum albums as well. Hot In The Shade only achieved Gold status.

Kiss would not release another album during the month of September until 1998. Psycho Circus was released on September 22, 1998 and claimed to be a reunion of the four original members of Kiss. While the band had been on a highly successful reunion tour since June of 1996 when it came time to record a new studio record the band brought in several outside players to perform on the record and contributions from original drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley were very few. The album received lackluster responses from critics and fans but still managed to go gold.

So there you have my round up of Kiss albums that were released during the month of September.  A couple other items I will throw at you: Peter Criss released his first post-Kiss solo album Out Of Control in September of 1980 and Ace Frehley released his fourth post-Kiss solo album Anomaly on September 15, 2009.

.....and finally I will leave you with this: I saw Kiss on their Dynasty tour on September 10th, 1979 at the Huntington Civic Center in my hometown of Huntington, WV and then 37 years exactly to the day I saw them again in the very same venue. You can read all the details about those experiences here.....

Scott Carr is a guitarist who plays in the Columbus, OH  bands Radio Tramps andReturning April.  Scott is also an avid collector of vinyl records and works at Lost Weekend Records. So...if you are looking for Scott....you'll either find him in a dimly lit bar playing his guitar or in a record store digging for the holy grail.

KISS SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 

ALIVE! (SEPTEMBER 10, 1975) 

KISS SOLO ALBUMS (SEPTEMBER 18, 1978)

OUT OF CONTROL (SEPTEMBER, 1980) PETER CRISS SOLO ALBUM

LICK IT UP (SEPTEMBER 18, 1983)

ANIMALIZE (SEPTEMBER 13, 1984)

ASYLUM (SEPTEMBER 16, 1985)

CRAZY NIGHTS (SEPTEMBER 18, 1987)

PSYCHO CIRCUS (SEPTEMBER 22, 1998)

ANOMALY (SEPTEMBER 15, 2009) ACE FREHLEY SOLO ALBUM

Pencilstorm Rockers Have Rocking Gigs Coming Up - by Jeff Hassler

Want to rock the night away with some of the guys from Pencilstorm?  In September and beyond, Scott, Colin and Wal will all be appearing locally (but separately).  Check out the details below. - Jeff Hassler

Colin Gawel

Every Thursday

Pencilstorm Editor-In-Chief and infamous Columbus rocker, Colin Gawel, takes his solo talents to the stage every Thursday night at the Four String Taproom on West Sixth in Grandview Hts. A more intimate version of his solo bands and Watershed, Colin sounds like part Springsteen jamming out his acoustic on the Jersey Shore with a little bit of Black Crowes and The Rolling Stones mixed in. But like the good Black Crowes that played "She Talks to Angels." Not that hippy stuff.  Make sure to catch his set starting at 9pm. Every week will be a different set of Watershed, League Bowlers and solo tunes. Though he has still NEVER played "Wanted Dead or Alive" even though I request it all the time. One time I covered his rent and he promised to play it for me one day. Could that day be one of these days?? It's only fair. Just sayin'. A quick word of warning about Four String Brew, everybody knows I'm a Coors Light guy but I do really like their new Hilltop Lager. But last time I was at the taproom for our Thursday night pinball league, Greg May bought me a couple of Switchblade IPA and I threw up all over the KISS game and ended up asleep in the Five Guys dumpster covered in mustard and some kind of sauce resembling mayonnaise.  That Switchblade packs a punch so take er sleezy when you are sucking down those sudz! Hassler warned ya!!

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Radio Tramps

Sept. 23

Resident discographer and historian, Scott Carr, will be rocking out with his band Radio Tramps this Saturday, September 23 at Cardo's Pizza & Tavern in Pickerington. Performing hits that span nearly four decades of rock, dance and pop,  the Radio Tramps will give you a total live, raw and in-your-face four-hour music experience. With soaring vocals, high energy, and a relentless pursuit of fun, they are sure to please all night long. The show starts at 8:30 pm. Get your grub on, get your drink on and get Tramped! I should know. I got Tramped at their Red, White and Boom show, tried to hug Tiffany and then fell off the stage in front of thousands of people. Even worse, my boss, Mr. Johansen saw the video on youtube and suspended me from all church activities for three weeks. Very embarrassing. Great band though! 

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Armada

Sept. 30

Wal Ozello will be fronting his band, Armada, next Saturday, September 30 at King Avenue 5. Once credited as "Rush meets Bon Jovi," Armada will play a staple of originals made popular during their days at the Alrosa Villa along with a mix of covers from '80s hair bands. Not your average bunch of musicians, you'll have to catch them as they pull off Rush, Journey, Tesla and Guns N Roses in a way few other bands can. Rumor has it this may be one of their last shows, so make sure to catch them while you can. I know I will be there. Not only do they always put on a great show but I met my future ex-wife Kim at one of their sold-out shows at the Alrosa Villa back in the day. Actually it was my first and last time working as the Armada drum tech but if I hadn't gotten fired before showtime Kim and I never would have hooked up. She liked that I knew drummers and was hoping I could get her back stage. She used to be so much fun back then and she looked so sexy in her Triumph Sport of Kings T-shirt. If I had known how she had gotten the shirt from Gil Moore in the first place I probably wouldn't have proposed so soon but I was young, dumb and full of.....ANYWAY... Doors open at 7pm and special guest No Direction starts at 8 pm. Make sure to get there early as Armada promptly takes the stage at 9 pm.

Look for more Pencilstorm appearances in the upcoming weeks! See ya at the gigs and buy me beer why don't you? - Hassler is out.