No matter how you look at it, George Carlin was an influential comedian. That’s not really a new or bold statement. He was a comic that pushed boundaries for the current crop of comics in the same way Lenny Bruce did in the 60s to pave the way for Carlin. Unfortunately Bruce quickly faded amid the court cases and drugs while Carlin seemed to hone his skills as his career moved forward. However Carlin was also important in other facets of entertainment. He was a key ingredient to the early days of HBO, bringing nightclub comedy to homes without the sanitized versions as seen on Johnny Carson. And he would go on to perform 14 solo specials for HBO over a 30 year period.
In memory of Carlin, HBO ran 11 of those specials and I spent the better part of my weekend viewing a good portion of them. While I was familiar with the work of Carlin, I wanted to get a better understanding of his comedy before writing this piece. When Carlin passed away last week, it seemed the only bit ever mentioned was “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.” Granted it is a landmark piece of comedy which was found indecent by the Supreme Court and definitely challenged the First Amendment. But I think the mere mention of that bit made Carlin come off as a one-dimensional comic… one who strictly used profanity to shock his audience. In watching the various Carlin specials, you gain an appreciation for a man that understood and knew how to use the English language, often deconstructing it for our entertainment. Carlin was also a master of observational humor, breaking down some of the most mundane aspects of life for our amusement.
The first Carlin special aired back in 1977 and has a rather quaint aspect to it. The program opens with journalist Shana Alexander (60 Minutes) explaining the nature of the material found within the show. She briefly mentions the FCC case and warns viewers of language they find vulgar. The special later takes it to another level by actually stopping the show before the final twenty minutes to once again prepare the audience for the language. Of course it’s probably appropriate as Carlin finishes this particular show with three addition words to add to the hollowed seven. The special followed the Alexander opening with a short Q&A with Carlin talking about his style and use of language. When asked about feeling restricted while appearing on broadcast television, he answered that if you had something to say, “you don‘t need a series of street terms to make your ideas clear.” But he added the usage of the dirty language enhanced his ideas and characters and gave a sense of reality to the comedy. It also provides an interesting juxtaposition when he mentions that Danny Kaye (ask your grandparents) was an influence for him to pursue a career in show business.
Early on, Carlin realized the popularity of his “Seven Words” routine as he offered different variations on it in a few of the specials that followed. And while the focus may be on that one particular piece of comedy, there was obviously more to his work . The 1977 special has a fairly lengthy bit about the grocery store and shopping for food. In comparison to his later work, he still seemed raw, but you get the direction his comedy is heading. He would continue to look at simple aspects in life that we all deal with, as the topics would range from pets to driving to losing things. And many of my favorite bits would come from his ’80s work, including “Baseball and Football“ (a comparison of the language of the two sports), “A Place for Your Stuff” and a short bit about finding an unidentified object in your refrigerator that could be meat… or cake.
But when you really analyze Carlin’s material, he was truly a wordsmith. As I stated earlier, deconstructing the English language seemed to be a joy for him. Mocking the way we use and abuse the language was a key component of his comedy. He would string together words in many different fashions. One night, it was foods that had names that didn’t sound like food (guacamole). Or words that simply do not belong together (business ethics). He also liked to riff on words that sound dirty but aren’t or just our plain misuse of the language (getting in the plane as opposed to on the plane). Carlin liked to break the language down, get us to laugh, but yet think about his ideas.
So George, thanks for the laughs. I’m sure wherever you are, someone is doing something that requires to be examined by your wit.

During the 80s, I had the good fortune of seeing a lot of concerts: Talking Heads, Devo, The Ramones, Genesis, The Pretenders… The list could seriously go on. Of course, for every classic 80s band that I good to see, there are several others that I’ve missed. Springsteen and U2 are two most prominent names that come to mind, although I thankfully still have a chance in both cases. As luck would have it, I had the opportunity to knock two off my list last week in Kansas City.
The Police kicked off last year’s Grammy broadcast, and shortly after, a tour schedule was announced. The music industry was abuzz as the band hadn’t toured together in over 20 years. Admittedly, reunions can be a hit-or-miss affair. There are several points to ponder; how many members will be participating, will the toxic relationship return and will the band live up to the expectations. You couldn’t do a Smiths reunion without Morrissey and with Joe Strummer passing away a few years ago, a Clash reunion will (or should) never occur. Talking Heads tried without David Byrne to minimal fanfare.
The Police was a band I‘ve always wanted to see, but had limited opportunity in my early days. A group of friends that caught them at a festival around 1981, but that was the closest I would get. So I was excited when I heard about the tour and had planned on catching them in St. Louis. However, work schedules would transpire against me, and that plan was quickly dashed. The disappointment was brief, and I went on with life.
However, my fortunes would turn and missing that particular show turned into a good thing. My wife happened to catch a radio announcement about their next leg of the tour and to sweeten the pot, Elvis Costello was the opening act. Now I’ve always enjoyed the music of Elvis, but in my younger years, I was a bigger Joe Jackson fan. My appreciation for Costello has grown immensely over the years, and can now rightly call myself a fan. But the pairing of those two musical icons were going to transport me back to the 1980s and a younger time.

Going into the show, you knew both artists had a slightly different approach. Elvis has just released a new CD (“Momofuku”, which is quite good) while the Police would be relying on the classics. However, that didn’t prevent Elvis from putting on a blistering show. Featuring the Imposters (two-thirds of the Attractions), Elvis basically alternated between new songs and classics. While Costello stood center stage, Steve Nieve propelled the music in a swirl of keyboards. Elvis rocked through new tunes “No Hiding Place” and “Go Away”, while zipping through “Pump It Up” (my personal favorite) and “Peace, Love & Understanding”. Sting also provided a cameo for the song “Alison”.
Then came time for the Police. Like I stated earlier, the band rolled out most of the hits, missing only “Synchronicity I” and “Synchronicity II” along the way. They did a really good job of dividing their catalogue, almost hitting each record in even portions. The casual fan got their “Roxanne”, “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” and “Every Breath You Take”, while the slightly more die hard fan got “Hole in My Life” and “Next to You.” And two things I noticed in watching the band play. First, given the amount of hits and airplay they’ve had over the years, you actually forget how good they are musically. Andy Summers (who I didn’t realize was 65 years old) has a very distinctive, chiming guitar sound while Steward Copeland really works the drum kit. An added bonus occurred when extra percussion equipment was brought out for “King of Pain” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger.” Granted, those are my least favorite of the hits, but watching Copeland drawn me into the songs. The second point is that Sting has written several songs with nonsensical lyrics. “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” is just the tip of the iceberg. It didn’t help that my wife kept pointing out how hot he looked for being over 50. Whatever…
So a couple more bands that I can cross off my list although I probably have too many to tackle. And yet another good thing about this show… my concert T-shirt still fits.

Every decade has had their share of music scenes. Seattle is known for the grunge scene of the 90s while New York could boast of New Wave in the late 70s. The 80s had plenty of music scenes, some receiving more recognition than others. Minneapolis exploded with Prince and the Time, while the underground scene rallied around the Replacements and Husker Du. Manchester, England had the rave scene with such bands as the Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and the Stone Roses. Southern California had a strong punk scene, while Chicago played host to industrial. And just as vibrant a scene was Athens, Georgia.
The sound was generally associated with the jangly pop of REM. Several other bands were in the same mold, but didn‘t quite find the same college radio success. However, like the cities mentioned, their were other elements to the scene. The B-52‘s were an early part of the Athen scene, with their 50s-retro music and songs about beach parties, aliens and sex. And while Pylon wasn’t exactly a household name, they would influence several others bands with their sharp, angular guitars combined with a hypnotic dance-groove.

The reason I mention the Athens scene is because two of those bands have surprised people with new albums in the last month. I say surprised for a few reasons. First, the B-52’s have released their first album of new material, “Funplex” in 16 years. Most bands are lucky enough to have careers that last 16 years, let alone go 16 years in between releases. And yet the band doesn‘t seem to have skipped a beat despite the long layoff. In fact, the odd thing about “Funplex“ is that it‘s their signature sound… only louder. The lead-off track “Pump”, fits nicely into the B-52’s canon.
I’ve been a fan since the early days of “Rock Lobster” and “Planet Claire.” I’ve also had the opportunity to see the band live three times, once in each of the last three decades. My first experience was on the “Whammy” tour back in 1984, before Ricky Wilson passed away. To show their kitschy style of fun, their opening act was a juggler… seriously. The band hit the stage with a kick-line and the tune “Song for a Future Generation.” It’s impossible to get through their shows without working yourself into a dancing frenzy.

The second surprise was the return of REM with “Accelerate”. Not that they’ve gone anywhere, but “Accelerate” is probably their best reviewed album since Bill Berry left the band. REM has been making serious rounds on several television programs, eagerly plugging the album and for good reason. The band seemed re-energized as the release is filled with plenty of high energy songs. The opening track “Living Well is the Best Revenge” sets the tone with an acid tongued rant. Another band that I had the chance to see, just as they were making their jump to the arena-sized tours with “Green.”
So here’s to REM and The B-52’s, a welcome return as they continue to build on that road of memories. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another 16 years for the next section of road.

Ask anyone when they think Saturday Night Live "jumped the shark" and I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers. Generally, the answer will depend on which cast the person grew up watching. And for a show that's been on television since 1975, that's a lot of ground to cover and a lot of cast members to consider. In fact, I think that SNL has jumped the shark so many times, the shark doesn't even show up anymore.
The reason I'm writing about the show is because the third season is set to come out on DVD in May; unedited, complete with musical guests. I’m excited because this is where the show really hits its stride. The first season was truly groundbreaking and the show was experimenting with the format while the cast really sharpened their skills in the second season.
Honestly, the basic format of the show hasn't changed much over the years. The show opens with a sketch, usually something topical, followed by a monologue by the host, then maybe a commercial parody and a few more sketches. A musical performance is usually after about 4 or 5 sketches, followed by Weekend Update. After that point, the laughs drop off considerably, although some characters have grown from those late program sketches. And while the format stays the same, it's the eclectic aspect of the program that's changed, not necessarily for the better.
Argue all you want about which cast is the best, but I prefer the early years and not just for the cast. Back in the late 70's, there was nothing like this on television. Variety shows were basically safe and family-friendly, from Carol Burnett to Donny & Marie. SNL offered the only real alternative, a slap-to-the-face of network programming. It was also event television; something people talked about Monday morning. Occasionally SNL will inspire that kind of conservation now, but not like the early days. And the eclectic choice of hosts and music provided a spark. Unlike today, when the host is someone usually plugging a movie, television program or record, the hosts in the early days seemed to be strange variety of celebrities. Such comedians as George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin and Robert Klein wound up as hosts in the first season, while Steve Martin would host the show five times in season two and three. Some of the odder choices included Ralph Nader, Dick Cavett and Fran Tarkenton. The first show, which was hosted by Carlin, contained a lot of his stand-up as well as an odd performance by Andy Kaufman.
The musical guests in the early years were generally an odd mix, consisting of folk/singer-songwriter types, with appearances by Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot and Leon Redbone, but also unlikely groups like ABBA and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. SNL, though did tap into the new-wave music trend in seasons three and four (another reason I‘m excited for the set), boasting appearances by Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, DEVO and Kate Bush. Occasionally SNL will still book a group considered "cutting edge", but they generally venture into the commercially-safe territory.
I know I'm looking forward to this boxed-set. Not just as a reminder of this television institution got started, but also as a way to remember my youth. When staying up late was cool and you couldn't wait until Monday to recite the sketches to your classmates. Also, the only shark the show had to worry about was a landshark.

Spring is less than a week away, and time to look forward to a huge concert event this summer. Rocklahoma is happening again this year and a good portion of the line-up was recently announced. The event runs from July 10-13 in Pryor, Oklahoma and promises plenty for fans of 80s rock. Some of the bands already participating include LA Guns, Enuf Z Nuff, Night Ranger, Extreme, Triumph, Warrant, Kix and Tesla. If that’s not enough music, there will also be two side stages featuring several more regional artists. One thing I noticed on the schedule is that there were a few TBAs still listed. For more details or tickets, go to rockfeverfest.com
Reunion tours are a part of the concert landscape and with the Police, Van Halen and Genesis, we saw some good ones last year. But occasionally you‘ll find a reunion tour that catches you by surprise. The band Yazoo (known as Yaz in the U.S.) has decided to hit the road after 25 years. The synth-dance duo only put out two albums (“Upstairs at Eric’s” and “You and Me Both”) before calling it a day. Yaz only had minor success in the U.S. as they were a bigger commodity in the U.K. Vince Clarke is better known for being part of Depeche Mode and Erasure, while Alison Moyet also continued to record, achieving brief solo success here. You may recall songs like “Don’t Go,” “Situation” and “Only You.” However, if this news excites you, the bad news is that the current schedule has them playing only six shows in the U.S. with two in Los Angeles and two in New York.

The obituary for Jeff Healey was one that seemingly slipped through the cracks. Healey passed away from cancer (which had also robbed him of his sight at a young age) and is best remembered for the 1989 hit “Angel Eyes”. Healey’s style was unique in that he kept the guitar in his lap while he played. “Angel Eyes” would be his only hit, but Jeff Healey had an extensive recording career. His early years where characterized by a blues/rock sound, but he later would change directions, into traditional jazz. His last studio album, “Mess of Blues”, is due out in April.