Buffalo Springfield always was at its best when Neil Young provided the material. There’s a reason why Neil Young is a huge star and everybody else has sank into semi-anonymity. This is really a very cutting edge and experimental song. Using found sounds, samples, jazz influenced instrumentation, seemingly unrelated couplets and a calliope, this one was way ahead of the curve in 1967.

I think cover songs are crap. There, I’ve said it.

Ok, I’ll be fair, only 98% of cover songs are crap.

However, occasionally when the Pop Gods spread their palms, and send clouds of fairy floss gently sprinkling to our earthly kingdom, a rare and magical thing can happen.

In this moment a great musician can take a song, turn it on its head and fill it with a pathos and depth you never knew was there.

When I saw this clip of Neil Young performing a cover of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, tears began to well up and a frog caught in my throat.

The clip made me remember those days coming back from high school to watch Fresh Prince in a whole new light. Now when I look at the Fresh Prince through the eyes of Neil Young, I see and I feel his pain.

Will Smith, the man. Lest we forget the gravitas and emotion he brought to the role of Fresh Prince, I’ve included the clip where the he breaks down in front of his father below. Have a handkerchief handy.

I salute you Will Smith. And I applaude you Neil Young for making us all pause for a moment and reflect on our own lives.

For within the pop lies the universal pain of the human experience.

Existen muchas organizaciones secretas, Los masones, La mano negra, Los canteros o Los hijos de Lee Marvin (Sons of Lee Marvin). Esta última es una organización fundada por el director de cine (para mí uno de los mejores en la actualidad) Jim Jarmusch. Para ser miembro de este “club”, necesitas tener una fisonomía similar a la del gran actor Lee Marvin y la verdad es que encontrar una estructura facial semejante a la del señor Marvin es jodidamente complicado.

El genial actor de "Uno rojo: División de choque", "Los doce del patíbulo" o "Delta Force"...

Por esa razón es una hermandad de difícil acceso para los seres humanos de a pie, solo unos pocos privilegiados, todos ellos amigos, son los que forman la hermandad, gente que conforman un groso contracultural bastante firme, los personajes son:

El propio Jim Jarmusch: El injusto adalid del cine “gafapasta”. A veces creo que mi misión en este planeta es destruir a todos esos intelectuales del cine.

El fundador es probablemente quien más se parezca

John Lurie: El tremendo músico y amigo de Jim, trabajó con el por ejemplo en “Bajo el peso de la ley” aparte de un par de cintas más.

El genial músico de viento

Os regalo un video de Lurie junto con el buenísimo percursionista Naná Vasconcelos, en el mítico show americano “Night Music”.

Nick Cave: Ya he hablado aquí del señor Cave, amigo de Jarmusch y del resto de miembros.

Como podeís ir viendo el parecido físico es brutal...

También os regalo una de las mejores canciones de Cave, “Red right hand”

Tom Waits: En fin, pues dios, digo Tom, digo dios no podía faltar en este club. Espectacular músico y actor en varias pelis de Jim.

Una foto de dios, digo Tom, digo dios...

Siguiendo la rutina, lo que es probablemente mi canción favorita de este señor “Heart Attack and Vine”

Iggy Pop: El que faltaba… ¿Os dais cuenta de la calidad que tiene este club? Solo verdaderos amos que compartan, en cierto modo, la fisonomía de Marvin pueden entrar en él.

No es el que más se parece a Lee Marvin, pero quizas si tenga los rasgos faciales necesarios

Como estoy que lo tiro, os pongo lo que para mí es una de las canciones más románticas jamas escritas.

Neil Young: Pues otro más, bastante amigo de Jarmusch y creo que no debo decir quien es… ¿Verdad?

Es el mismo caso que Iggy.

Venga va, pues una de sus canciones más famosas, “Old Man”.

Thurston Moore: El frontman de “Sonic Youth” también está en este exclusivo club.

Como Young y Pop, es más la forma de la cara, la boca o los ojos que un parecido físico...

No sabía si poner un video en directo de la ruidosa “Kool Thing” o el video dirigido por Spike Jonze “100%” en el que el actor Jason Lee hace una de sus primeras apariciones en pantalla… me he decidio por “100%”

Richard Bose: Lo siento mucho pero no tengo ni idea de quien es este señor. Lo siento de verdad.

Bueno, pues esto es “Sons of Lee Marvin”. Curiosa hermandad de esa cantidad de artistas frikis y extravagantes.  Me encantaría formar parte del “club” de estos dementes artistas, pero creo que no me parezco a Marvin, como mucho en la boca, pero creo que no me aceptarían…Espero que os haya culturizado un poquito…

My current music obsession…

Several weeks ago on this blog we suggested that Newcastle Jets Coach Branko Culina look to his bench and play reserve goalkeeper Neil Young.

Fate however stepped in and Neil made his A league debut when Kennedy injured his groin. He kept a clean sheet on debut, and this week won the Fox Sports Solo Save of the week.

Kennedy is a week away from a return and it has never been more important for Young to have a great game, than this weekend against Sydney FC.

Getting his break late aged 30, Young has left his wife, Lauren, and two young children, Owen and Mitchell behind in Perth to pursue and hopefully fulfil his dream. With only a one-year contract and having spent a large part of the season on the bench Young felt it was too much to ask to uproot his family for what could end up being only 9 months in Newcastle.

The plus is that at least his son gets to see his dad on television each week! The big one will be when Kennedy is fit, whether Culina goes with the younger keeper who has struggled or sticks with Young.

I noticed something today. With the rise of personal music devices, people are walking to customized soundtracks to their lives.  30 years ago this wasn’t the case, simply because strapping a 20 pound record player to your hip was out of the question.

Think about it.   Many of us walk, bike,  ride public transit and wait in lines with headphones in our ears.  Out of these little speakers comes the music that, for the most part, embodies who we are. The sounds that enhance the atmosphere that is surrounding us.

Over the years the soundtrack will change, but songs will be repeated, resurfaced and rediscovered. Those songs are the ones that make the soundtrack.

These 10 tracks are the audio clips laid out on the narrow strip of film that is the soundtrack of my life.

People Turn Around – Delta Spirit: What story is yet to be told? “The song that needs singin, has already been sung before.”

Mama’s Eyes – Justin Townes Earle: Stripped down folk music at its finest. “Sure it hurts, but it should hurt sometimes.”

Tentative – System of a Down: Plain and simple, “We’re going down, in a spiral to the ground, no one, no ones gonna save us now.”

Twilight – Elliott Smith: “Haven’t laughed this hard in a long time. Better stop now before I start cryin’.”

Family System – Chevelle: Dirtiest metal riff I have ever heard. “What a man’s got, he’ll learn to hate.”

No One’s Aware – Jack Savoretti: “Being alone doesn’t mean that you’re free, so come with me.”

Old Man – Neil Young: Success is only a title. “Doesn’t mean that much to me to mean that much to you.”

You Never Even Called Me By My Name – David Allan Coe: Those who know this one, just know. “You never even called me by my name.”

Glory Bound – Martin Sexton: “I’m taking a chance on the wind, I’m packin’ up all my bags.”

Good People – Kyle MacKenzie: You know who you are. “You, my friends, are good people.”

What’s your soundtrack? I would love to hear it…

Ai, né, o Jimmy Fallon, palhaço como sempre, foi lá e imitou – muito bem, diga-se de passagem – o Neil Young. Mas calma, a grande peculiaridade ainda está por vir: a música tocada foi o tema da série “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, do Will Smith. Lembra?

If you didn’t catch this on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (I didn’t because Fallon sucks monkey balls) then you are going to love this. Neil Young is my hero

[via Stereogum]

Wednesday is Friday this week, so Jacobpedia will likely be quiet for the next few days.  If I run across anything particularly compelling, I might have a post up over the weekend, but the regular, erratic posting schedule will resume on Monday.  Until then, there’s plenty to read about below:

• The Street News Service has an exclusive interview with Bob Dylan about his Christmas album.  At one point, Dylan explains, “These songs are part of my life, just like folk songs.”  I have been surprised that some critics are so bewildered by Dylan’s choice to record a Christmas album.  Anyone who has paid attention over the past fifteen years or so already understood his motivation.  It’s good to hear it from the man himself.  And, once again, do yourself a favor and watch this video.
• Violence broke out in Madrid on the weekend Spanish fascists commemorate the death of Francisco Franco.  The article also reveals the Spanish government’s continued efforts to shape memory of the Spanish Civil War as it banned the annual vigil held at Franco’s grave on the anniversary of his death.
• Johnny Cash is the subject of a new graphic novel biography, Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness.
• John Jurgensen assesses Tom Petty’s place in the pantheon of rock ‘n’ roll.  Despite all of his success, Petty has always seemed to be on the rung below legends like Dylan and Springsteen.  Jurgensen’s article explains why.
• The Edge of the American West offers an explanation for why James McPherson finally said something negative about a fellow historian in his review of John Keegan’s The American Civil War: A Military History.
• The new issue of The Believer includes forensic artist Barbara Anderson’s renderings of eight criminals from literature.  The Boston Globe posted images of Anderson’s drawings of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Raskolnikov and Cormac McCarthy’s Judge Holden.  For the rest, you’ll have to go to your favorite bookstore.
• In response to the nominees for the Bad Sex in Fiction Award, Mark Athitakis presents his own awards for bad writing.
• And, who hasn’t wanted “Neil Young” to cover the theme song to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?

Two songs, “Hurt” and “The Fragile,” from Trent’s 2006 performance at the Bridge School Benefit, have been released on iTunes as part of The Bridge School Collection Vol 4. In iTunes the tracks can be purchased individually or as part of the full album. All proceeds go to Neil Young’s Bridge School, a unique organization that uses creative approaches to educating children with severe speech and physical impairments.

Click here to view and purchase in iTunes

posted by nin pr at 9:50am

discuss @ nin.com

Jimmy Fallon no siempre logra ser cómico, pero a veces tiene unos momentos de genialidad indudables. El más reciente fue su cover de la canción de Fresh Prince of Bell Air, pero como si fuera Neil Young en los setenta.

Si no se recuerdan acá va la original

Y si les suena raro es porque seguramente estuvieron acostumbrado a escucharla en español, en Venevisión, con el voice over de la muerte dando los nombres de los actores.

y de ñapa les dejo la versión gallega que nunca había escuchado JA!

First off..back to blogging. Now that Lauren and I have a new apartment and I am no longer dying of bubonic plague that should be easier.

In the late night comedy world, Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon typically battle each other for the lowest common denominator. Leno is painfully unfunny, and Fallon is a giant mess who is too busy laughing at his own jokes to put together a set. Well, for the first time, at least Fallon has done something funny.

Here is him as Neil Young covering one of the classics of the 90’s:

(Thanks to @justinfinnegan)

Cover Me Report:

Click here to go to CM to check Yo La Tengo covering Jackson Browne “Somebody’s Baby”, Everclear cover The Stooges “Search and Destroy”, The Kings Singers cover Neil Young “After The Gold Rush”…plus more.

NEIL YOUNG_Love In Mind

Bild: cupof.coffee.free.fr/lastfm/neilyoung.jpg

This is post #100!

Late Night host Jimmy Fallon impersonates Neil Young singing the Fresh Prince theme song. I can’t post it so check it at the Late Night site. It will be worth it!

ps. this is post #100!

Harvest, o quarto album, talvez seja o mais famoso dos albuns de Neil. Produzido em 1972, soa como o album mais country/folk. Apresenta canções um pouco melancólicas.
Destaque para “Heart of Gold”, uma de suas canções mais queridas.

Desculpem pela falta de inspiração/empolgação. Mas um momento “Boy, you’re gonna carry that weight a long time…” acabou por atrapalhar um pouco…

Mas aproveitem o album…

Link: http://rapidshare.com/files/243725617/0246.rar.html

OK, it’s not all that funny. But Jimmy does a mean Neil Young. And it’s such an odd combo, it’s almost genius.

You may be surprised at the scope of this week’s topic because when it comes to Elvis Presley, well nearly everyone’s got an opinion. The iconic nature of Elvis Presley in music and popular culture, has often made him a subject of, or a benchmark, in numerous songs. We launched the show with CALLING ELVIS by Dire Straits. Written by Mark Knopler and released in 1991, the song is about an Elvis fan that can’t believe that Elvis Presley is dead. Based on some of the bizarre ’sightings’ over the years, I fear he is not alone.

A song from one of my favourite films followed: Public Enemy’s groundbreaking FIGHT THE POWER from the soundtrack of DO THE RIGHT THING, directed by Spike Lee in 1989. Like the film, the song broke at a crucial period in America’s struggle with race. Unabashedly political, FIGHT THE POWER was confrontational in the way that great rock has always been. It attacks a whole roster of American icons including Elvis and John Wayne in what amounts to a virtual flag burning. Because who better embodies the American ideal than the King? The song goes so far as to call Elvis racist. I don’t agree with that. But what I do know from the National Archives is that in 1970 Elvis wrote a six-page letter to Richard Nixon asking him to make him a ‘Federal Agent-At-Large’ in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. And amongst the gifts that Elvis presented to the then President was a Colt-45 pistol. So what do we make of all this? Maybe only that, like a lot of his countrymen, Elvis was a misguided patriot who defended the nation’s order – an order from which blacks, in particular, had been routinely barred. The irony, of course, is that Elvis was the first artist to successfully blend black and white music: country music and the blues. And didn’t he do it well?

It was time for a change of tone: The very whimsical and wonderful Kirsty McColl’s with THERE’S A GUY WORKS DOWN THE CHIP SHOP SWEARS HE’S ELVIS. The song made an appearance on the FAMOUS PEOPLE show, but definitely deserved another spin. We followed with Richard Thompson’s FROM GALWAY TO GRACELAND.

Robbie Williams’ ADVERTISING SPACE is a song not only about Elvis but, also, about the price of fame.  Emmylou Harris followed with BOY FROM TUPELO. In case you weren’t aware Elvis was born in Tupelo Mississipi on January 8, 1935. And then it was the great Roy Orbison with HOUND DOG MAN.

Living Colour funked it up with their critique of the tabloids. The song  ELVIS IS DEAD ups the ante with an appearance by Little Richard. Check it out.

We dived into the second hour of the program with Ann Margret singing the title song of the film BYE BYE BIRDIE. Based on the stage musical of the same name, the story was inspired by Elvis Presley being drafted into the US Army in 1957. Jesse Pearson played the role of teen idol Conrad Birdie, whose character’s name is a wordplay on another singer of the era, Conway Twitty.  The film is credited with making Ann-Margret a superstar during the mid-1960s, leading to her appearing with Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas in 1964.

A couple of great songs were suggested to me by BayFM’s very own Cowboy Sweetheart, Carrie D. First up, Bap Kennedy with GLADYS & VERNON about Elvis’s parents and the night that Elvis was born. And then it was the great Waylon Jennings with the very entertaining NOBODY KNOWS.

I absolutely adore BLACK VELVET by Allanah Myles and have played that before. But, hey, when a song’s as good as this one it deserves a replay!

U2’s song ELVIS ATE AMERICA illustrates the many personas of Elvis, both good and bad. And then it was the romantically delusional Scouting For Girls with ELVIS ISN’T DEAD: ”Elvis isn’t dead ’cause I heard him on the radio….. and you’re coming back to me.”  Yeah, sure guys.

Time to get serious: First up, Kate Bush with her hit song about Elvis – KING OF THE MOUNTAIN. And then, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds transported us into a disturbing world with their song about the night that Elvis was born. Elvis was a twin but his brother was still-born. The song is TUPELO from the album THE FIRSTBORN IS DEAD. Here’s the totally mesmerising clip:

John Fogarty likens Elvis to the BIG TRAIN (FROM MEMPHIS). Neil Young reminded us that it’s “better to burn out than to fade away “, with his song MY, MY, HEY HEY.

Another of my faves followed: Cowboy Junkies with BLUE MOON REVISITED, otherwise known as SONG FOR ELVIS. And then it was Paul Simon’s song about travelling to Elvis Presley’s home, GRACELAND, with the Everly Brothers helping out on vocals. Don’t have a clip with the Everlys in it, but you can’t do much better than this concert performance of the song in Zimbabwe. Enjoy.

There was time for a little more mjusic dedicated to Elvis before signing off and what better than ELVIS HAS JUST LEFT THE BUILDING by the one and only Frank Zappa. And, of course, I had to play some of the King himself so we went out with BURNIN’ LOVE. Here’s what all the fuss is about:

Next week’s show will be dedicated to the patron saint of Theme Park, Roy Orbison, who died 21 years ago this December 6. So songs by Roy Orbison, The Travelling Wilburys, duets with Roy and covers of Roy Orbison songs. Anything connected to Roy Orbison qualifies. Personally I can’t wait!

Here’s this week’s playlist:

Some rapid-fire links to keep you entertained and informed on a Tuesday.

Doug Glanville offers up his usual keen insight as he gives readers an inside look at what the MLB free agency process looks like from a player’s eyes.

The latest on the War On Drugs? The younger generation is much more open to legalization (of marijuana, at least), and we may yet get there in the foreseeable future.

Jimmy Fallon has gotten a lot of grief for his late-night talk show. I haven’t watched, and am not a particularly big Fallon fan. But one thing he does well is comedy through guitar, in the vein of Adam Sandler. Fallon’s rendition of Neil Young singing the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme is pretty tremendous.

I lol’d, repeatedly.

I have it on good authority that the great DJ Gallo wrote this literary masterpiece partially with me in mind. Because I’m a pathetic sucker for nostalgia. Also, if Sports Pickle has the power to grant wishes, please make this happen.

Finally: The Muppets sing Bohemian Rhapsody. That’s all you need to know.

A piece of genius…

Tess circa 1978!

We’re starting something new! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: Backstage at The ArtsCenter, a new series of posts written by members of the ArtsCenter staff, talking about things they see at The ArtsCenter, why they do what they do, and what that whole “arts” thing means, anyway.

Our very first post is by Tess Mangum Ocana, the concerts and facility director at The ArtsCenter. You may have seen Tess introducing a band at a concert or heard her on 1360 WCHL’s The Arts Spot.

Let us know what you want to hear about the ArtsCenter by commenting on this post!

–Lisa

The CD Playing In My Car 30 Minutes To Work And Back This Week
Tess Mangum Ocana

I live in Durham, so the drive to Carrboro takes a while.  I’ve discovered a new “back way” that seems to not zap my soul as much as the chain stores, car dealerships and construction on 15-501 but I’m not going to give away the secret because it will become like 15-501.  Anyway, what I’m listening to this week is Ray Lamontagne’s debut album, Trouble.  He played here back in ’05 and I still remember the energy in the air as people took their seats in the Earl & Rhoda Wynn Theater.  Women were especially excited to see their bearded, beautiful lumberjack-looking Montagne.  I was running back and forth between my office, the gallery and backstage but remember listening to Van Morrison’s Veedon Fleece as my own mood music.  Music critics were going nuts about Montagne, saying how brilliant his first release was, and that it sounded like Neil Young and Van Morrison.  It does, but only musically.  Vocals are his own.  Some tracks sound like The Band, which ain’t a bad thing either.  Listen carefully for Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins (who played this year’s American roots Series) on fiddle and vocals.

1. Weld (+ Arc)
2. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
3. After The Goldrush
4. On The Beach
5. Tonight’s The Night
6. Ragged Glory
7. Rust Never Sleeps
8. Zuma
9. Sleeps With Angels
10. Mirror Ball

NP: John Prine – Sweet Revenge