It'll help you keep those lamps trimmed and burning, all you unreconstructed hippies!

By Fred Mills

Fans of vintage West Coast psychedelia and folk-rock with long memories will often tell you, in hushed tones, of the 1972 documentary film FILLMORE: The Last Days, released by 20^th Century Fox, which chronicled the concerts (and events surrounding them) that marked the closing of the legendary Fillmore West in 1971. Groups such as the Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Santana and the Grateful Dead all jammed until the proverbial cows went home.

In '72, also, Fillmore/CBS records also released a lavish boxed set (25 tracks spread across 3 LPs plus a 7" EP, along with a poster, book and backstage pass) from the concerts that eventually became a collector's item. After it went out of print bootleggers took up the cause and it surfaced in various forms over the years until Sony Legacy finally saw fit to put it out as a two-CD; it's still available and boasts very good remastered sound.

As with a lot of rock docs of the era (Woodstock et al), the Fillmore film captured a unique moment in time that, depending on how cynical you are or how rose-tinted your lenses are, was either a socio-cultural wash or a period to be celebrated. At any rate, the documentary has long been a coveted item among VHS and, more recently, DVD-R collectors and traders who've tapped the underground bootleg network to obtain copies of the film - often grainy, 4^th- and 5^th-generation copies (initially taken from original reels but subsequently dubbed and re-dubbed) that'd turn your 20/20 vision into mush.

Now, though, word arrives that on Nov. 11, Rhino will finally reissue the film for the first time on DVD. A full tracklisting of artists and performances can be found below. Meanwhile, here's the scoop from the label:

When the legendary rock impresario Bill Graham closed the Fillmore West in 1971, the San Francisco venue had become an institution, an integral part of the West Coast music scene in the '60s. Always the showman, Graham made sure the Fillmore West was sent off in a blaze of glory, scheduling five nights of concerts featuring bands, like the
Grateful Dead and Santana that got their start at this storied concert hall. Both the madness leading up to the shows and the concerts were filmed for FILLMORE: The Last Days, a documentary originally released in 1972.

The film stands as a vivid time capsule that captures an era in rock history when music had become a major industry and‹for some‹a huge headache. It delivers a gritty, behind-the-scenes look at the music business at a time when many artists were growing jaded by their success, demanding more and more. Disillusioned by the change, Graham decided to get out, pulling the curtain down with five days of concerts that ended on July 4, 1971.
 

In the end, the frantic preparations paid off with a host of marvelous performances from a range of artists who made up what was called "The San Francisco Sound." FILLMORE: The Last Days features highlights from all five nights, including songs by the Grateful Dead ("Casey Jones," "Johnny B. Goode"); Santana ("Incident At Neshabur," "In A Silent Way"); Quicksilver Messenger Service ("Mojo," "Fresh Air"); Jefferson Airplane ("Volunteers" / "We Can Be So Good Together"); along with performances by Boz Scaggs, Cold Blood, Hot Tuna, and Lamb.

Meanwhile, prior to its DVD release, FILLMORE: The Last Days will screen in part at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 3 at 8 p.m. The festival will present specially chosen clips from the 1972 concert film. The clips, introduced by author and original Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres (who also wrote the liner notes for the DVD, include performances by Boz Skaggs, Grateful Dead, Santana & Quicksilver Messenger Service.

The evening will also include an all-star panel of music professionals who will offer a detailed, backstage point of view on the events at the Fillmore and a live performance in tribute to FILLMORE: The Last Days. It will include a full set of live music with house band Moonalice, featuring G.E. Smith, Jack Casady, Barry Sless, Pete Sears, Ann McNamee, Roger McNamee, Jimmy Sanchez, and invited guests including Ray Manzarek, Elvin Bishop, Dan Hicks, Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman and Jay Lane, Lydia Pense of Cold Blood, Josh Clark and Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green, and Dan Lebowitz of ALO. (For full ticket information, directions and additional screening times, visit www.mvff.com.)
 
 

FILLMORE: The Last Days Track Listing:

 
"Hello Friends" ­ Lamb
"You Got Me Hummin'" ­ Cold Blood
"I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" ­ Cold Blood
"Hollywood Blues" ­ Boz Scaggs
"I'll Be Long Gone" ­ Boz Scaggs
"Candy Man" ­ Hot Tuna
"Uncle Sam Blues" ­ Hot Tuna
Rehearsal Jam ­ The Rowan Brothers 
"Isn't It Just A Beautiful Day" ­ Lamb
"Fresh Air" ­ Quicksilver Messenger Service
"Mojo" - Quicksilver Messenger Service
"Volunteers"/ "We Can Be So Good Together" ­ Jefferson Airplane
"Noodle" ­ Jerry Garcia           
Rehearsal Jam ­ Jerry Garcia with The New Riders Of The Purple Sage
"Casey Jones" ­ Grateful Dead
"Johnny B. Goode" ­ Grateful Dead
"White Bird" ­ It's A Beautiful Day
"The Sky Is Crying" ­ The Elvin Bishop Group
"Incident At Neshabur" ­ Santana
"In A Silent Way"/ "Jam" ­ Santana
"In A Silent Way" ­ Santana
 

Don't you think calling a soft drink "Coke Zero Zero 7" is a dumb idea in the first place?

By Fred Mills

Friday brought word that Jack White's OO7 theme song "Another Way To Die," which was commissioned for the Bond Flick Quantum of Solace, had been plucked for a new Coke Zero commercial in a co-branding promotion with the film.

Apparently White was not consulted in the matter, however, as this morning his management issued a statement to that effect and that White does not endorse the commercial.

"Jack White was commissioned by Sony Pictures to write a theme song for the James Bond film Quantum Of Solace, not for Coca Cola," said White's handlers. "Any other use of the song is based on decisions made by others, not by Jack White."

"We are disappointed that you first heard the song in a co-promotion for Coke Zero, rather than in its entirety."

White had previously done music for a Coke commercial but has gone on record as saying that he prefers to treat that as a separate project rather than have pre-existing music used in ads.

Compiled by Blurt Staff

206 digital, satellite and hi-def channels and nothin' on? Not likely. Here are BLURT's top music television picks of the day. The time is followed by the network/cable/satellite channel, then the name of the program and/or featured artist(s). All times are EST. For a comprehensive hour-by-hour listing, go to the VH1 Rock On TV site. Note that for certain channels, shows frequently repeat during the day on or subsequent days.

TIME (EST) / CHANNEL / PROGRAM / ARTIST(S)

7:00 AM CBS: The Early Show: LL Cool J

9:00 AM Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: LL Cool J

10:30 AM PLD HD: Nine Inch Nails - Beside You in Time

11:30 AM NICK: Yo Gabba Gabba!: Sean Kingston , Mark Mothersbaugh

12:00 PM Biography: Phil Spector

1:00 PM PLD HD: Isle of Wight Festival 2008 w/The Police , The Sex Pistols , Iggy Pop , The Stooges , Kate Nash , N.E.R.D.

2:30 PM FUEL: The Daily Habit: Langhorne Slim

5:00 PM Ovation: Jazz Heroes: Ella Fitzgerald: The Singer Not The Song

6:00 PM RAVE HD: From The Basement: Sonic Youth , Jose Gonzalez , Laura Marling

8:00 PM ABC: The 2008 ALMA Awards w/Will.I.Am , Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano , Linda Ronstadt , Shakira , The Cheetah Girls , Sergio Mendes

9:00 PM Comedy Central: Chappelle's Show: Common , Kanye West

10:00 PM Sundance: Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter

11:00 PM PLD HD: MTV Live: R.E.M.

12:00 AM FUEL: Best of The Daily Habit Music w/Lupe Fiasco , MGMT , The Kooks , Tim Fite

11:30 PM PBS: Tavis Smiley: Harry Belafonte

11:35 PM NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Raphael Saadiq

11:50 PM Encore Mystery: Videodrome (1983)

12:00 AM Sundance: The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico (2005)

12:05 AM ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Justin Nozuka

1:35 AM NBC: Last Call with Carson Daly: The Game

2:00 AM FUSE: No. 1 Countdown: Duffy

2:00 AM Ovation: Elvis Costello & the Imposters: Club Date

2:30 AM MTV2: Celebrity Deathmatch: Rev Run , Russell Simmons

Stripes/Raconteurs mainman goes 007 with the soft drink giant.

By Fred Mills

Remember that 007 theme song we told you about that Jack White was creating for the upcoming James Bond Flick Quantum of Solace? The one with Alicia Keys guesting? The UK news media is reporting that Coca Cola has licensed portions of the song "Another Way to Die" for use in an international ad campaign - Coke Zero will be temporarily re-named Zero Zero 7 (that would be 007 to all you numerically-challenged readers).

You can view the ad, which is clearly an homage to the whole stylized Bond-babes-noir aesthetic, HERE.

Recall that back in 2005 White also did an ad for Coke (not a shabby payday, to say the least) and he commented at the time to the NME that he was attracted to the idea of creating a new song if it was an "interesting" commercial but that he "certainly wouldn't want a song that I'd already written to be used on a commercial."

You can view that decidedly White Stripes-ian (visually speaking) ad below. Do we detect a strong Small Faces influence in the music?

Co-author of Orleans hit "Still The One" knows of what he speaks.

By Fred Mills

We've been talking a lot about how the McSame-Van Palen campaign ripped off Heart's "Barracuda" song, something that definitely rubbed the band the wrong way.

In a statement, the Heart camp said: "The Republican campaign did not ask for permission to use the song, nor would they have been granted that permission. We have asked the Republican campaign publicly not to use our music. We hope our wishes will be honored."

As it turns out, the campaign apparently did obtain, technically speaking, permission to use the song: they got the necessary licenses to use it (typically by paying a blanket fee to ASCAP in the same fashion as other organizations or venues would do). So Heart is, essentially, fucked.

Weighing in on the matter today was guitarist/songwriter Larry Hoppen, who along with John Hall fronted the band Orleans and had a number of hits in the ‘70s (Hall is now a Congressman, while Hoppen continues the band to this day). Hoppen posted a commentary to the mailbag of music industry blogger/watchdog Bob Lefsetz ("The Lefsetz Letter"). It's reproduced below.

In it, Hoppen outlines very clearly - and without pulling any rhetorical punches, either - what happened to Heart and how it's just more dirty, underhanded business as usual with the GOP.

Well said, Mr. Hoppen.

***

From: Larry Hoppen

Subject: Political use of Iconic songs

Bob, the recent unauthorized McCain Campaign use of Heart's "Barracuda" is the latest in a decades-long tradition of (mostly Republican) misappropriation of popular Artists' work.  I applaud the public response Heart had to this fresh offense. I REALLY applaud Jackson Browne for filing suit against the unauthorized use of "For Everyman" recently.

As lead singer and a royalty artist on the 1976 hit "Still The One", I have hands-on experience with the anger, embarrassment and false image this outrageous practice causes. When George Bush and the RNC were caught using STO as W's new re-election "Theme Song" by its co-author John Hall (now a Congressman, D-NY) and myself, the usual "cease and desist" legal letter went out. The RNC claimed, as McCain did with Barracuda only days ago, that they had paid "all the required licenses" because they "respect artists' work".

The truth is, they only get a "Blanket License" from one of the performance rights societies, which covers mainly 'background' use - and then they use these songs as featured thematic material in major venues - like national campaigns that are televised and/or potentially reach hundreds of thousands, indeed millions, on a given Campaign tour.

The first time I remember this happening was Reagan using Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" (in 1984, I believe). He was asked to stop ... and there are many other examples.

In fact, McCain ALSO started using "Still The One" recently, and was VERY quickly sent the standard cease and desist letter. Another example of his similarity to Bush, I guess.

For the record, Sen. Ted Kennedy had PERMISSION from the author and artists to use "Still The One" both in 2000 and 2008. I presume Fleetwood Mac authorized Pres. Clinton to use "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow", or it wouldn't still be a Clinton 'signature song'!  Sure seems like only one Party ever asks.

Also for the record, only months after the RNC pledged to stop using STO with Bush's re-election in 2004, I saw a film of a Tom DeLay rally using the same recording of ours.

I bring all this to your attention because I think it's timely and important to say:  When people who think nothing of doing this say that they are being respectful of artists' work, when they say they are respectful of Copyright Law, when they say they are in favor of an "Ownership Society", they are LIARS.

Let's call the unauthorized use of massively popular hit records what it is: grand theft, at the very least.  One unanswered question is: WHO is accountable for this behavior? And let's point the finger at who's doing this most of the time: Republican candidates.

Also promoting That Lucky Old Sun at Hollywood Bowl.

By Fred Mills

Brian Wilson is to be given the big thumbs-up by the Los Angeles City Council today (Sept.12) in acknowledgement of his artistry and accomplishments - and, by extension his many contributions to Los Angeles and California as the city and state's virtual musical ambassador over the years.

It's all timed to coincide with three back-to-back performances at the Hollywood Bowl that Wilson and his band are performing this weekend. You can read BLURT's review of Wilson's appearance last week in Oakland HERE.

Not that Wilson needs such a honor. But it's a nice gesture just the same. In a statement issued by the LA City Council, they praised St. Brian, saying, "In the 46 years since Brian Wilson wrote the lyric 'if everybody had an ocean', nobody has done more to define the Southern California experience than The Beach Boys."

With that in mind, let's revisit this clip of Brian doing "Surfin' USA" at Glastonbury....

"Days of Wine and Roses" + "I Have Faith" revisited...

By Fred Mills

For our latest installment in the BlurtTube Flashback series (translation: we were nosing around on YouTube and found some cool music video clips and we don't have anything better to do at the moment) we bring you a pair of vids from the late great Dream Syndicate.

First up is the early lineup's signature tune "Days of Wine and Roses" (a smokin' live version no less) followed by the latterday incarnation (circa 1988's Ghost Stories) with their stylized "I Have Faith" - raise your hand if you were one of the few but faithful who saw it on MTV's "120 Minutes" back in the day.

All props to erstwhile D.S. frontman Steve Wynn: his new solo album Crossing Dragon Bridge was officially released in the U.S. this week. You can read our Wynn interview from last month HERE and you can visit Mr. W at his official website as well. He's got tons of video and audio material at the site and plenty more of Wynn-related content for your perusal.

Still better than the Beatles... tuning their songs in the key of Z...

By Fred Mills

And then there were - the Shaggs. You know, the female combo from the late '60s and early '70s that thrilled fans of garage rock and outsider music, and that appalled pretty much everyone else on the planet. (You know which camp we fall in, however.) No less than Frank Zappa proclaimed them to be "the missing link between Fanny and Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band." You know you can trust Frank.

Let's just go straight to Wikipedia for the scoop - or if you're in a hurry, here's the general overview:

The Shaggs were an American all-female rock group formed in Fremont, New Hampshire in 1968. The band was composed of sisters Dorothy "Dot" Wiggin (vocals/lead guitar), Betty Wiggin (vocals/rhythm guitar), Helen Wiggin (drums), and later Rachel Wiggin (bass).

The Shaggs were formed by Dot, Betty, and Helen in 1968 on the insistence of their father, Austin Wiggin, who believed that his mother foresaw the band's rise to stardom. The band's only studio album, Philosophy of the World, was released in 1969. The album failed to garner attention, though the band continued to exist as a locally popular live act. The Shaggs disbanded in 1975 after the death of Austin.

As the obscure LP achieved recognition among collectors, the band was praised for their raw, intuitive composition style and lyrical honesty. Philosophy of the World was later reissued, and the compilation Shaggs' Own Thing was released in 1982. The Shaggs are now seen as a groundbreaking outsider music group.

Now comes word that Shaggs' Own Thing - produced by none other than Terry Adams of NRBQ - has been reissued in Japan on CD. It boasts the original sleeve artwork and comes as a mini-LP cardboard sleeve design. (Don't ditch those obi strips, collectors.)

And whattaya know, you can order it from our good friends at NRBQ! Just click on over to the NRBQ Store, while supplies last. Operators are standing by to take your shopping cart.

Putting the pusher to the pedal for a good cause.

By Fred Mills

Yo La Tengo's got a generally light tour itinerary between now and mid October when they head off to Taiwan and South Korea - just shows in Champaign (Sept. 20), the ATP festival in Monticello (Sept. 21) and an appearance at the Neumann Leather Tenants Association Benefit in their home stomping grounds of Hoboken (Sept. 29).

But on Oct. 5, Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley plan to put all that body toning that comes with playing marathon rock shows to a test when they attempt to bike all the way around Manhattan as part of the bike-a-thon intended to raise money for MS. See below for a recent posting to their official website that will explain the whole situation, and check the links at the end if you'd like to make a donation to sponsor either or both of the pedaling musicians.

***

Hi everybody: On October 5, Georgia and I will be participating in what used to be called the MS Bike Tour, but what now goes under the somewhat more ungainly name Bike MS New York City Traffic Free. Call it what you will, we will be be riding 30 miles around Manhattan, unless one or both of us decides to go wild and make a dash through the Lincoln Tunnel and take a spin around New Jersey too. (That's what we did in 2005, Georgia topping out at 45 miles, me clocking in at 60.) And in the process try to raise some money in the fight against MS.  If you would like to sponsor one or both of us, we'll be very grateful.

Click here for Georgia.

Click here for Ira.

If you put lipstick on a pit-bull, it's still a pit-bull.

By Brian Creech

According to a press release issued by the band, the band Portugal. The Man has true Alaskan cred, at least more Alaskan cred than governor Sarah Palin:

"Gourley and Carothers grew up in the tiny town of Wasilla, fishing, hiking, and playing music together. Gourley and his hippie parents lived outside of town in a remote log cabin that was powered by a generator and had no phone. His mom and dad, a team of dog sled mushers, ran Alaska's annual Iditarod, dubbed the "last great race on earth." And Carothers remembers his frequent banter with Palin, then Wasilla's Mayor, about building a town skate park (never happened). Gourley and Carothers' families still live in Wasilla... [and] Gourley has said that Alaska, with its breathtaking, ice-filled landscapes, has had a huge impact on the band's music."

So wait, Sara Palin reneged on a promise to build a skate park?  Just add that to the long list of grievances presented by Gourley over at www.portugaltheman.net.  Given Sarah Palin's limited time on the world stage, Portugal. The Man's words are the first bit of criticism to come from a group of Alaskans. 

The essay, titled "Palin, Because We Don't Need It," invokes an ethos of sustainability, telling a poignant story of when Gourley and his dad, while on a hunting trip, give up a perfectly good shot at moose.  When Gourley asks his dad why he gave up such an opportune shot, he responds with "Because we don't need it." 

Gourley goes to include a list of other things we don't need;

"We don't need drilling in some of our most beautiful and untouched land...We should be investing and working towards clean fuels. We don't need to be draining our planet of every last drop before moving on to the next. Sarah Palin disagrees....

We don't need aerial hunting...I don't know of any true Alaskan that feels it is

good sport to shoot an animal from a plane. Sarah Palin disagrees...

We don't need book burners and censors...

We don't need a wolf in sheep's clothing...She has billed her self as this overly average "hockey mom" and it is just not what I see. I see the sport hunter, the censor, choice taker, the revelations reader, and the high school cheerleader. It is endlessly embarrassing to watch people fall all over this idea. This is not my Alaska."

In between now and Election Day, Portugal. The Man plan to release an album and tour the lower forty-eight, presumably relating their tale of the evils of Sarah Palin to the non-Alaskan audiences. Their album, Censored Colors will be released on September 16 via Equal Vision.  Their tour starts on October 14^th in Fresno, CA and carries them all the way through November 28^th, ending in Seattle, WA.

OCTOBER

14 The Exit, Fresno, CA
15 Clubhouse, Phoenix, AZ
17 Rock Bottom, San Antonio, TX
18 Emo's, Austin, TX
19 Meridian, Houston, TX
20 House of Blues/Parish Room, New Orleans, LA
22 Orpheum, Tampa, FL
23 The Social, Orlando, FL
24 Jack Rabbits, Jacksonville, FL
25 The 7 Venue, Douglasville, GA
26 The Brewery, Raleigh, NC
27 Canal Club, Richmond VA
29 Rock and Roll Hotel, Washington, DC
30 Crocodile Rock, Allentown, PA
31 Bowery Ballroom, New York, NY

NOVEMBER

1 School of Rock, Hackensack, NJ
2 Harper's Ferry, Boston, MA
4 The Club at Water Street Music Hall, Rochester, NY
5 Magic Stick, Detroit, MI
6 Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights, OH
7 Subterranean, Chicago, IL
8 The House Cafe, Dekalb, IL
9 Varsity Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
10 Sokol Underground, Omaha, NE
12 Fubar, St. Louis, MO
13 OZ Cafe, Wichita, KS
14 Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO
15 Studio 600, Salt Lake City, UT
16 Jillan's, Las Vegas, NV
18 Chain Reaction, Anaheim, CA
19 Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
20 Soma Sidestage, San Diego, CA
21 Howie's, Visalia, CA
22 The Dome, Bakersfield, CA
23 Eureka Coffee, Lathrop, CA
24 Slim's, San Francisco, CA
25 The Boardwalk, Orangevale, CA
28 El Corazon, Seattle, WA