Living With War

In case you hadn't heard, Neil Young has recorded a new record called Living With War. It comes out for download on May 2. You can listen to it on his website now. I've listened this evening and it sounds very strong. He uses a 100 voice choir on the title track.

Star Sighting

I found a link to a capsule review of BJ's Star Trek, Indiana show. I can't wait to see this live. I saw a dvd version a few years ago and it was extremely funny and touching at the same time. Last time I spoke to BJ, he told me he was trying to get the show produced here in Indy. Fingers crossed for that!

Two, String Quartets and a Power Trio

It's been a busy week since returning from San Francisco. I'll catch up on a few things.

Kronos Quartet
The concert at the Yerba Linda Center for the Arts was fascinating and mesmerizing. Check them out if you get a chance. They closed by playing The Star Spangled Banner ala Jimi at Berkley. That's how they announced it and played it. The level of noise coming from the stage was really incredible. The 2 songs they played with Matmos were genuinely cool. Matmos use computers, unconventional noisemakers, their mouth, and video to create a scene of sorts. This one, with Kronos, showed a close up of a sink drain and they were able to meld all of these noises and instruments together to sound like water swirling down a drain. Then the screen switched to grass blowing in the wind.....very cool.

Alejandro Escovedo
It's a hot time for Al, he's on the cover of No Depression, again, and his new cd, The Boxing Mirror is out this Tuesday. John Cale, yeah that one, produced. If you follow Alejandro at all, you know VU is a huge influence on his music. I cannot wait to hear it. I saw Alejandro for the first time at the Bluebird in Bloomington last fall. It looks like the same band recorded this album. 2 cello's, 1 violin, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums. Here's a swell article by Jon Pareles from the NY Times.

The Minutemen
Check out the release date and info for the Minutemen Documentary, We Jam Econo. This is big. 3 full sets of live music on the bonus dvd!!

WE JAM ECONO - THE STORY OF THE MINUTEMEN is the acclaimed feature-length
documentary on the too-brief life of one of the most revered, intriguing,
and inspired American bands ever. At the heart of their story is the
immeasurable personal and musical bond between bassist Mike Watt and
singer and guitarist D. Boon. Childhood friends, their unbridled
creativity and political views were the foundation of this groundbreaking
band which refused to be categorized as punk.

The film weaves together personal tales from Watt and drummer George
Hurley with archival interview footage of the band and rare live
performances. New interviews with over 50 musicians, artists, journalists,
and friends help tell the Minutemen story, from their humble beginnings in
the harbor town of San Pedro, California, to the tragic 1985 death of D.
Boon in a highway accident in the Arizona desert.

DISC 1:

- "We Jam Econo - The Story of the Minutemen" (90min)
- Original music videos for: "This Ain't No Picnic," "Ack Ack Ack Ack" and
"King of the Hill"
- 19 Deleted Scenes and Interviews
- Uncut Bard College Interview (56min)
- English Subtitles for the hearing impaired

DISC 2:

62 songs from three live performances:
- The Starwood Los Angeles, CA - November 18th, 1980 (Includes multi-angle
feature)
- 9:30 Club Washington, D.C. - 1984
- Acoustic Blowout (Cable Access Show) - Hollywood, CA - 1985
- 16-page booklet with full color photos, flyers, filmmaker notes and
liner notes by David Rees, creator of Get Your War On.

Here are some of the nice things that folks have been saying about We Jam
Econo:

"Lovable documentary about the lovable band... their idealism, their humor
and decency is spellbinding" - Sarah Vowell, The New York Times

"The Minutemen were influential then and now, and "We Jam Econo" is a
valentine to the band and D. Boon’s memory. They’re immortal now, and
that's as it should be." - Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times

"We Jam Econo resurrects and hoists high a genuinely maverick spirit, with
its depiction of the Minutemen's humble beginnings, the band's visionary
music (a hybrid of punk, funk, jazz and beat poetry) and populist approach
to rock-as-lifestyle, and the members' shared sense of mission that
inspired hundreds of other bands to take up the cause. Old fans and
newcomers alike will feel proud to stand before it and salute." - Fred
Mills, Detroit Metro Times