Zynga just released an Aerosmith themed game in the app store. It's a casino-style (slot) type game with Aerosmith members as the main characters and music. The game is free but Aerosmith probably made a fortune on licensing for this.
I'm not one to play games on my phone or computer, but I might download this just for the heck of it. I mean, I'm always down for anything related to Aerosmith.
Everyone likes a “phoenix” story. You know the plot: threaten to kill some people after you release a middling solo album that goes nowhere, and just after you recorded with an epic band that gave your career life, only to be replaced by Mr. Clean and left for dead while you sorted out your legal and substance abuse problems. It is a timeless tale.
Phil Rudd did himself no favors. He basically fired himself from AC/DC. But drugs will do that to you. Now he seems to be back. A bit wounded from the mess he created. A bit hurt that Angus (really the CEO of the corporation that is AC/DC) won’t return his calls. But not “I am gonna kill that guy” hurt. Hurt in that “something to prove” sense.
Sad thing is, he doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to proving he is back. He has interviews. Everyone loves a car crash, especially when the crash in question is feeling his Irish (sans alcohol). He has his solo band and their album Head Job. Everyone likes a bad pun and some basic rock n’ roll.
Here’s the thing though: Phil Rudd in a bar playing basic rock n’ roll is pretty much the template that AC/DC created, then developed, then launched into mind-dizzying success. So this is Rudd back where it kinda began. Starting over again. Something to prove and nothing to prove at the same time.
So when I see this:
Or this:
I am actually pretty proud of the fella. Sure he is missing all of his teeth (I only mention that because it is so obvious and odd to watch). But he is keeping the beat like he always did. I can almost squint and see him in those cop shades, smoking a cig, while proficiently keeping the beat before he lost the job the last time. And Allan Badger is a gutsy vocalist cut from the same cloth as Johnson and Scott. He is no singer. But he does what he does well, while swaying around and bring his considerable heft to bear on the proceedings. Thing is, Badger doesn’t really seem to care what you think. And that seems to be more AC/DC that AC/DC has been in a few years, with some (but not all) apologies to Axl Rose.
Yes, I know. Rudd is not AC/DC’s original drummer. Geesh. He only joined in 1975. We all miss Clack, Burgess, and the host of others that were with them in those earlier two years. But it is hard to not root for him. There are too many of these stories that end poorly. And if wishing Rudd well means anything, then it might mean the guy has a fighting chance to make something of himself after making a mess of a pretty sweet life.
Not rooting for Rudd is akin to applauding the death of rock n’ roll. So I hope we can all muster more than a golf clap when it comes to his future.
I don’t even have to say his name. His reputation precedes him. A blowhard with a mind-boggling knack for breathless self-promotion. Tone deaf proclamations on thing both of his realm and, often times, far afield of it. A curiously coiffed pate with more than a whiff of the artificial. A history of braggadocio that has often demeaned the fairer sex (see what I did there?). A tendency to wield his self-importance like a force-field, bouncing every near hit and partial disaster out of range. A late stage attempt to revamp his crumpled reputation by wading through the sewer that is reality television.
Obviously, I am talking about . . . Gene Simmons.
As readers here know, I have a somewhat ambivalent view of KISS. I didn’t take issue with their 80s transformation into a circus-like cacophony of songs-by-committee, garish pastels, and enough shoulder pads and jazz hands to make both Bea Arthur and Joel Grey go, “Hey, you might want to walk that all back a bit.” I like their 70s stuff. I just don’t love it. Post-Animalize, my commitment to the band waxed and waned as time and interest dictated.
I also recognize how easy it is to take Simmons’s sense of smug self-promotion too seriously. I mean, he begs you to dismiss him as an irrelevant, if very successful, huckster. Note that I said “too seriously.” There is Barnum in Simmons’s pitch. He plays—and sometimes is—the loathsome heel to Stanley’s pious protagonist. Together, they have made KISS into a brand that is stuck on every conceivable corner of the market. If Stanley is the man pulling most of the strings, Simmons is the one with the bugle, heralding the band and his importance thereto.
Thing is, I have a sneaking suspicion that the fans that love Simmons are closer to seeing the truth in all of his carnival barking. He provides a service. In so doing, he sates his base while teasing the furious keyboard jockeys who mix their vitriol with equal parts longing and confusion. I mean, how can that man be that successful, all while wearing a Cher-pelt on top of his self-congratulatory smirk?!?!
Two bits of evidence are not conclusive. But here is a bit of proof that Simmons, as a recent solo act, is showing off a truer measure of his self than one normally gets to see. With the spectacle of KISS nowhere to be found, we are getting a chance to see SIMMONS, exposed.
The first video speaks for itself:
That is a gracious master of ceremonies, mixing equal parts shtick and sincerity. Those that matter—his fans—are having the time of their lives. As it should be.
The second video is that rare sighting: an established, long-in-the-tooth, legacy act(or) trotting out a song many true fans wished was part of the rotation to begin with:
Yes, “Charisma” is no “Kashmir.” And, yes again, Dynasty is no Love Gun. So what? This song, even more than “God of Thunder,” gets at what makes fans squeal and detractors squirm: how can Simmons get away with singing something so catchy, yet so moronic (second best: “Domino” off of Revenge)? The song title is a measure of an answer. So, too, is the casual way he all but proclaims “Let’s have fun . . . my band can handle the stuff I have forgotten.” In another case, this would look sloppy and unprofessional. In his hands, it looks like the sort of night most fans, casual or diehard, would enjoy.
These two videos are like the other side of the Simmons coin. He looks relaxed. He seems more than accommodating. His band sounds great. Everyone is having a good time. One moment, he is making it a night the fans will never forget. The next, he is (partially, and in fairly good form) belting out one of the most gloriously self-absorbed songs he has every released. If rock is the calculated business that Simmons always suggests it is, he is also a master at making it look easy.
I get it: Simmons is no saint. He has some decidedly retrograde views on women, no less on topics like depression and drugs. But he never claimed to be. So, while he goes about supporting the troops, donating to charities, and the rest, he has some definite reasons to smirk at those who criticize him.
He’s Gene Simmons. They are not. Fairly, or unfairly, simple math.
The original Dokken lineup reunited for a special run of shows last year. It was in Asia the money was too much to pass up apparently. Don Dokken has been really clear that he has no desire to reunite with the original lineup ever again... now he's getting honest about his current signing ability. Apparently he realizes that he's been sounding rough lately. Now he knows he must sleep and "be professional" in order to sound good. The band isn't 18 anymore! Progress.
The San Francisco Chronicle just interviewed Sammy Hagar about a possible reunion with Van Halen. Boy Howdy, Hagar's response was interesting!
“That whole Van Halen thing lurking in the woods out there, I feel there’s a sniper out there — any minute the bullet is going to come flying in that says “VH” on it, “You’re it!” We’ll see what happens. I don’t understand them. I haven’t understood them in a long time. I would only do it with Sam and Dave anyway. I’d rather Dave (David Lee Roth) go out and sing his own songs. I’ll sing my songs. That would be the ultimate show, I think. If we could do it that way, I would suck it up. It would be fun.”
The phrase "suck it up" and "will be fun" don't exactly match, but whatever. I actually could see David Lee Roth and Hagar on tour together in this capacity. Why not? It would be a financial bonanza.
Kansas just canceled their European tour... because of safety concerns. Again, we're not talking about Venezuela or Syria here. We're talking about... Europe. Kansas was set for a 22 date run across the pond. Maybe ticket sales sucked and this was the excuse? Bizarre.
I recently interviewed Chris Volz of Flaw. The metal band is coming to Dayton this weekend. Flaw is straight up metal - many of you may like them. Here's the interview from theDayton City Paper.
The music industry is often a cruel mistress. It’s always been hard to break into the business, a fact that is truer today than it ever was. Some bands were lucky enough to get a foot in the door back when big labels still ruled the industry and music promotion existed beyond social media. One of those lucky bands is Phoenix-based Flaw, who return to Dayton Saturday, May 13, for a metal show at Oddbody’s.
For Flaw, the road is a means to an end; the band loves to tour and meet fans, but a consistent schedule of live performances is also the only way to stay afloat in the music industry these days. Lead singer Chris Volz considers himself fortunate to even be a part of the industry.
“It’s definitely not glitz and glamor like people think,” Volz says. “In [music] videos and photos, you capture the good and fun moments. There’s a lot that goes into [it] that isn’t as easy as it seems. You spend a lot of time away from home and kids. When you’re on tour, there are a lot of overnight drives. Personally, I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I feel I was meant to do this and I feel blessed I’m able. It’s an industry where it’s very hard to get one record deal, let alone put out five or six records over a 20-year span.”
For musicians seeking a way into the industry, Volz offers some motivational advice. “If you work hard and never give up, anybody is capable of anything,” he says, but quickly continues with a caveat. “At the same time, it’s a much more competitive industry [these days].”
The members of Flaw are true workhorses and keep an exhausting schedule. They tour aggressively, hitting the road for four weeks at a time, with two weeks off between each run. They do this nearly year-round. During down time, the band continues working, writing new songs. In fact, the band already has a handful of songs ready to go for the next record.
“We are working on new music, for the past couple months,” Volz says. “We never stop doing that. We bring equipment with us and we can record ideas, guitars, vocals, and drum beats.”
It’s been a roller coaster ride for Flaw during these 17 years, complete with many lineup changes and an entirely redefined model for the music industry. Still, the band persists, chugging along when others give up. Flaw is now touring behind its most recent release, Divided We Fall, whose title Volz admits is a nod to American politics.
“The title was political, and I can’t deny it,” he explains. “It kind of relates to the journey Flaw went through, but it also has connotations to society today. I feel like Americans are more separated now than any other time I can remember.”
Anyone who’s picked up a newspaper over the past couple of months has probably read an editorial lamenting the great divide between the so-called two Americas. Divided We Fall was written before the presidential election and the songs proved prescient.
The new album is also the band’s first foray into the vinyl market. Trends usually come full circle, and vinyl is now popular with music fans again. Divided We Fall was released on vinyl from Flaw’s label, Pavement Entertainment. The band pre-sold hundreds of copies online and now sells many during each live gig.
“Vinyl is making a huge comeback. I think it’s great!” Volz exclaims. “Everyone I talk to is either a collector or they love the audio quality difference. Everything is so overproduced and over compressed … If you put a favorite record on with a really nice turntable with some nice speakers and you close your eyes, you feel like you’re at a concert.”
For those who still like to experience live music, Volz promises a rocking metal show at Oddbody’s. And the members of Flaw remember their last visit with Dayton music fans fondly.
“It’s been a year since we were in Dayton,” Volz says. “We always have a great time when we come through!”
Flaw plays Saturday, May 13 at Oddbody’s, 5418 Burkhardt Rd. in Dayton. Show starts at 6:30 p.m., doors at 6. Tickets range from $20-25 for patrons 18 and over. For tickets and more information, please visit FlawBand.com or Oddbodys.com.
Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 12:01AM 