If you were to ask me for my top five current bands in 1999, at the time The Smashing Pumpkins would have been on that list. I was not on the Gish train, it wasn't until the single "Today" from Siamese Dream slid into heavy rotation on MTV in the later half of 1993 that I got on board, scooped up Gish, and started buying everything I could get my hands on. If a UK 3-song single appeared in the bins of either Madhatter's or Finder's in Bowling Green, I was grabbing it. I obsessed over Pisces Iscariot - "this compilation is better than most bands regular albums!" - and fully digested Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The Aeroplane Flies High single box? Purchased. Huge left turn with Adore? Not a problem.
After the turmoil of 1998, the death of Jonathan Melvoin and departure of Jimmy Chamberlain, I wasn't sure what to make of the band, as they seemed to heading down the road of collapse. However, in 1999, it was announced Chamberlain had rejoined the band, reforming the original lineup, and the band was heading out on a nine-date tour dubbed "The Arising!" with Queens of the Stone Age as the opener. There are a lot of things, in retrospect, that changed after this tour. First, it was D'arcy Wretzky's last tour with the band, soon replaced by Hole bassist Melissa Auf de Maur. Second, Queens of the Stone Age were largely unknown, and just over a year later would release their second album, but first as a true full band, Rated R. Queens when on to become the hard rock band of the 2000s, and it could be argued that this tour was a preview of the passing of the torch. How so, you may ask?
RIP Shawn Smith
I remember the first time I heard Shawn Smith's voice. Spring 1996, Bowling Green State University during one of my regular shifts at WFAL 680AM. We had a promo cd single for the song "Without Love." It was either in regular rotation, or in our recent released "Currents" stack, from which we had discretion to play a few times an hour.
It didn't slap me upside the head immediately, it was more, hmmm this is different, I like this. It was urgent and soulful, and several years into the alternative explosion of the 90s, grunge, etc., I was diving into other sounds than just heavy guitar rock. First it was the alternative country of Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks. Around that time, I discovered and devoured albums by Cibo Matto, Hum, Soul Coughing, The Tragically Hip, Poe, Guided By Voices, Tricky and others thanks to our fearless music director Matt Shiverdecker.
During the summer the album The Family was released, which I picked it up at either Finder's or Madhatters in BG. I wasn't aware A) this was the second album or B) that lead singer Shawn Smith was also in several bands at the same time. Turned out that my friends Keith and Jason we're already ahead of the curve on Shawn Smith, and fans of the first Satchel album EDC, as well the debut album Shame with his other band Brad, which featured Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam.
It didn't slap me upside the head immediately, it was more, hmmm this is different, I like this. It was urgent and soulful, and several years into the alternative explosion of the 90s, grunge, etc., I was diving into other sounds than just heavy guitar rock. First it was the alternative country of Wilco, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks. Around that time, I discovered and devoured albums by Cibo Matto, Hum, Soul Coughing, The Tragically Hip, Poe, Guided By Voices, Tricky and others thanks to our fearless music director Matt Shiverdecker.
During the summer the album The Family was released, which I picked it up at either Finder's or Madhatters in BG. I wasn't aware A) this was the second album or B) that lead singer Shawn Smith was also in several bands at the same time. Turned out that my friends Keith and Jason we're already ahead of the curve on Shawn Smith, and fans of the first Satchel album EDC, as well the debut album Shame with his other band Brad, which featured Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam.
Two Word Reviews - Q1 2019
It's the exciting return of two word reviews (patent pending). Years ago, on a weekly, then monthly, then not-so regularly basis, I kept track of everything I watched, listened to or read on my blog. Being a dad meant a lot of free time movie watching went out the window, but since I've started working from home, I've been able to carve out a little more music listening time, and occasionally I'll even catch a movie. I'm posting reviews on my Goodreads profile for books, and linking to them here when they pop up, so I won't be including them, but here's the first installment of tv shows, movies and music for 2019, covering the first quarter (January, February and March) of 2019:
MOVIES
Mary Poppins Returns - surprisingly engaging
FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix) - astounding arrogance
Fyre Fraud (Hulu) - alternate perspective
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - equally entertaining
Ant Man And The Wasp - another winner
MUSIC
Swervedriver: Future Ruins - more dreaminess
Weezer: The Teal Album - totally pointless
Brian Eno: Music For Installations - perfectly Eno
Brian Eno and Tom Rogerson: Finding Shore - engaging melodies
TELEVISION
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (Netflix) - needed lessons
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Seasons 1 & 2 (Amazon) - exceptional performances
Schitt's Creek, Season 1 through 4 (Netflix) - quirky fun
The Expanse, Season 3 (Amazon) - exciting build
Superstore, Season 1 through 4 (Hulu) - unexpected subversion
Love Death + Robots (Netflix) - needs diversity
MOVIES
Mary Poppins Returns - surprisingly engaging
FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (Netflix) - astounding arrogance
Fyre Fraud (Hulu) - alternate perspective
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part - equally entertaining
Ant Man And The Wasp - another winner
MUSIC
Swervedriver: Future Ruins - more dreaminess
Weezer: The Teal Album - totally pointless
Brian Eno: Music For Installations - perfectly Eno
Brian Eno and Tom Rogerson: Finding Shore - engaging melodies
TELEVISION
Tidying Up with Marie Kondo (Netflix) - needed lessons
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Seasons 1 & 2 (Amazon) - exceptional performances
Schitt's Creek, Season 1 through 4 (Netflix) - quirky fun
The Expanse, Season 3 (Amazon) - exciting build
Superstore, Season 1 through 4 (Hulu) - unexpected subversion
Love Death + Robots (Netflix) - needs diversity
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