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Category: Music (Page 28 of 34)

Can You Dig It? (Notes on “Somebody”)

August 13, 2009 / / 8 Comments

Anthology To those of you who thought I overreacted last week about the bad Cher compilations, let me just say I appreciate your concerns. However, the fact is I care so much…because I love too much. And I just want each little compilation (each one like a fuzzy misfit in an overpopulated bunny farm)  to be the best little compilation they can be.

That and it would be nice to save a few trees and a barrel of oil. Frankly, the last thing this troubled world needs is another bad Cher compilation. And a good Cher compilation is as rare as a Vancouver Island Marmot.

On my birthday a week ago, I visited the Amoeba record store in Hollywood where I did the obligatory look through the used CD and record bins for Cher stuff. Besides the aforementioned bad Cher compilation, I also bought my third copy of the All I Ever Need is You(KS 3660) album, but this one was with the pink and orange Kapp label as opposed to the black label my parents had. I wondered if the pink vs. black label might explain the differences in the gospel choir endings in the song “Somebody.” My latest thesis was that maybe only the black Kapp label printings had it. Maybe this would explain why other fans didn’t know what I’ve been taking about all these years?

“Somebody” happens to be my favorite Cher song. I talked about this on Cherscholar.com years ago:
http://www.cherscholar.com/topten.htm#somebody and I won’t regurgitate that bit here but I will add that I still love the whimsical bass line, the honking horn that almost blares like a headlight flash, Cher’s smooth intro and then singing like Sonny (d.b.a harmonizing) in the second half of the song, the nasally sax, and most of all the gospel send-off at end.

To my surprise and glee, the pink-label Kapp version didhave the accented wailings at the end. Compare your All I Ever Need The Kapp/MCA Anthology CD version (and my CD bootleg version is also robbed of this ending) to this copy I have burned from the Amoeba album (see link at bottom of page).

There’s a fuller gospel sound at the end, complete with some solo stand outs (including the final “Iiii said!”). Now there’s even a third version, the 45 which predates the album version, with completely different ending lines, but discussing that is for another day.

Download 02_Somebody_(with_wailers)

Cher Compilations That Drive Me Slowly Mad

August 6, 2009 / / 11 Comments

9211earlyyears_s Okay so my actual 40th Birthday was hellish. Basically a chaotic work day of disaster. I got home and my bf had set out two sets of flowers (roses and orange daises that I like), the daises displayed very cutely in an old coffee thermos because he couldn’t find another vase. He also set up both champagne and champagne cake, too. We watched ghost shows. 

The next day was my 40th celebration day — officially. We went to a DVD-signing at Dark Delicacies in Burbank to visit our friend Akiko Shima who is in the DVD, a horror flick called Ghost Month. Akiko is very creepy in the movie and has a great death scene.

Then we went to buy my present: a VHS-DVD-R dubbing contraption that will help me convert a lifetime’s worth of Cher clips on VHS over to DVD. A very generous gift in so many ways.

I will also be able to re-watch quite a few John Waite videos taped a thousand times. We also found the wedding guestbook pens we’ve been looking for at an art store and then we cruised over to dinner at Maloon Sunset, my favorite restaurant for their spicy corn on the cob, salsa trio appetizer and hotter-than-hell shrimp diablo. I’ve been there four times and always get the exact same thing.

Then we went to see the new Harry Potter movie at Mann's theater over on Hollywood Blvd. Potter was great, per usual, except for one fatal flaw. They cut out all the back story on Professor Snape (played by Alan Rickman). Not only is Snape my favorite character but his development is the point of this whole book (The Half-Blood Prince). It explains all his prejudices (the book does, with real heart – it’s Wuthering Heights-esque), and not only does this prepare you for the series finale, it serves to knock you off your own prejudices about good and evil and who is on who’s side.

You could say Snape and Potter are the characters that define the whole series and its main theme. Cutting out the meat of the book made me feel emotionally robbed and also robbed of major plot foundation, and then confused about why the movie-makers decided to even keep the title if they were barely going to refer to it. They tried to cover that fact by a throwing in a scene at the end to quickly resolve that elephant-in-the-room, and that scene was frankly insulting to the book’s readers.

Since birthday weekend, I’ve been dealing with work craziness and car issues. So not a great week starting my somewhat-middle-age.

This week I also checked out a Cher compilation CD I found at Amoeba Records, a compilation I didn’t think I had – although there are so many Cher compilations now, I’m starting to forget.  This one is The Best of Cher The Early Years, a two CD Set — undated.

A waste of God’s good materials if you ask me. 

I always wonder how songs are picked for these when they’re not actually comprised of real hits. The producers quirky choices? Random selections out of a hat? This set is divided like as follows…

CD 1: Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves (I appreciate the attempt to correct the spelling of 'Gypsys' but is it better to be a good speller or misquote history?)

  1. The Way of Love
  2. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves
  3. He’ll Never Know
  4. Fire & Rain
  5. When You Find Out Where You’re Goin’ Let Me Know
  6. He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother
  7. I Hate to Sleep Alone
  8. I’m In the Middle
  9. Touch and Go
  10. One Honest Man

Okay kids, so this is basically a redux of Cher (1971), the album later re-titled Gypsys Tramps & Thieves. Maybe the re-release of the CD is already out of print, thus necessitating HALF of this compilation being taken up by a re-re-release of the whole damn thing. More likely, it looks like somebody had a mass of old Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves album CDs without cases, vulnerable to repackaging just like those old Mego doll Cher heads in the late-70s that were left over and stuck on cheaper plastic barbie bodies. Atrocities to Cher heads, that was.

Half Breed is what the second CD is titled and I’d think we’d be getting the full Half-Breed album, if I've learned anything from what’s on CD 1. What was I thinking? Trying to use logic on Cher compilations is thankless.

  1. Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves (inexplicably again!)
  2. Don’t Hide Your Love
  3. The First Time
  4. Let me Down Easy
  5. Half Breed
  6. Dark Lady
  7. Carousel Man
  8. Song for You
  9. Train of Thought
  10. The Way of Love (inexplicably again!!)

At first I thought we were getting Cher’s Greatest Hits (1974 MCA) until I hit “The First Time.” What hodge-podge of hits and non-hits is this? And WTF, two songs repeated twice? And the same Orange-Daisy-726565 song beginning and ending the entire compilation…for no purpose!!

Listen, I don’t care if you try to rip me off with cheap compilations, you scammy record-companies. But just don’t throw crap at a wall. Is that too much to ask? Can you at least put ten minutes of thought into this junk before you send it on its merry way? With all of Cher’s recordings in the world, ten monkeys could type out more coherent, cohesive compilations combinations. 

Okay…maybe that’s my lack-of-transportation-frustration talking.  But come on. Is it me?
 

Cher Scholar Flu

July 16, 2009 / / 5 Comments

RamonesWhile I spent that last two weeks coughing, sleeping in delirium and getting more and more depressed about the money I'm losing being off sick from work, I heard the Ramones' song "We Want the Airwaves" and I thought it was kind of a shame Cher didn't record with them. I don't know if this was my fever talking, but at the time I thought they would all sound very good together. And what a rebellious thing to do from everyone involved. 

And that's been my only semi-deep Cher thought over the last two weeks.

I'm a bit freaked out being so sick so long because a) I don't want prolonged illness to jeopardize a job I love, b) my bachelorette party is quickly approaching (which means there will be no post next week either) and I don't want my illness to ruin it, and c) uh…I'm paying for my wedding — I need cash and more cash and ever day on the couch brings no cash.

Good wedding news there is, however. We had our rings designed and finished by artist Myrthus Koinva, a new Hopi artist near Keams Canyon, Arizona. And our invitations (designed by by bf and his former greeting-card business partner) are finished and being printed. They are so cool!

Other positive things to focus on: I've finished a few new poems (one inspired by my new discovery of Walt Whitman) and I did get a chance to read the latest Rolling Stone article on Gregg Allman, which was minorly interesting and didn't mention Elijah (who just had a birthday) but did talk about other son Devon and his band Honeytribe and the breakup of his umpteenth marriage where Gregg is finally beginning to wonder: hey, maybe its me. Definitely an inch progress on that front.

But then I come back to work after another day of being sick, I found the office is out of diet coke and I'm now being forced to drink diet Dr. Pepper.

Cher may love Dr. Pepper. But Cher Scholar does not.

Wah.

 

Interview with Lenny Roberts

July 4, 2009 / / 4 Comments

Cher-Greatest-Hits-362194 I completely missed my blog posting deadline this week; and I sit here typing out this blog entry on a Saturday while listening to my street's block party on the Fourth of July, everybody having a frolic outside while I sit inside coughing with chest pains and a headache. Fleh!

In the meantime, I've been wanting to post this entry for quite some time. Weeks ago I was very giddy to have been contacted by someone who was on-site for one of Cher's 70s album recordings. Lenny Roberts, her recording engineer, was kind enough to spend a short time answering my many, many questions after his cataract surgery.

Cher fans will remember Lenny credited on just about every Cher Kapp/MCA project of the early to mid 70s. Lenny didn't seem to remember being involved in the Snuff Garrett-produced Warner Bros album Cherished, but he is listed on the back album cover credits.

Anyway, it was thrilling to get some behind the scenes peaks at recording with Cher during that time.

Interview with Lenny Roberts

Cher Sues Record Company (but doesn’t let that ruin her shopping trips)

June 4, 2009 / / 1 Comment

Some quick news items and links this week – however, I have some good things are cooking for the end of the month. Next week I’ll be gone on a trip to Arizona for my bfs birthday and to shop for silver wedding rings. We’re excited about staying at an old refurbished Harvey House hotel.

Bodyprods Meanwhile Cher has been shopping in Kailua Hawaii.

Cher and well-known L.A. interior designer Martin Bullard made a stop last Thursday with their entourage at Kailua's Lanikai Bath and Body — known for its all-natural, made-in-Hawaii collections of lotions, creamy butters and sea salt and cane sugar scrubs. The two picked up lavender lotion with essential oils of lavender plumeria lotion and body butter, Tahitian gardenia butter, lip balms, Hawaiian bath salts, poi dog shampoo, naupaka massage oil and pohaku body wash.

Sweet…lavender. But now I predict Franz will be demanding poi dog shampoo now.

Vboc Cher last week Cher also filed suit against Universal Music Group for trying to hide her royalties:

Although it must be a major pain in the tukus to deal with litigation, this actually rocks that Cher is fighting back for her cash. As an established artist with some money and heft to hurl, she might break ground for many other artists currently getting screwed.

Among other things, the suit claims:

… the label's creative accounting has shortchanged her and the heirs of her late ex-husband Sonny Bono to the tune of $5 million. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims an audit of UMG's accounting to the singer-actress from 2000 to 2003 showed that UMG execs "engaged in wrongful tactics" designed to hide revenue from two hit compilation albums.

….breach of two recording contracts Cher had with UMG predecessors, one with MCA division Kapp Records in 1972 and another 1987 deal with the David Geffen Company. Cher claims that those deals entitled her — and, in the case of the 1972 deal, Bono — to receive up to 50% of net royalties received by UMG. But the complaint alleges that UMG later made a deal with Warner Music U.K. to distribute a 1999 compilation called "Cher The Greatest Hits," then funnelled the money through UMG's international arm to conceal the amountof royalties owed to Cher and the Bono heirs.

Cher also challenges accounting on a second compilation, 2002's "The Very Best of Cher." UMG allegedly allowed the album to be distributed by a division of Warner Music Group but accounted to Cher on a royalty basis as though UMG had sold the records itself, thus decreasing her share.

When Cher and Bono divorced in 1977, they agreed to split revenue from the songs recorded together. When Bono died in a ski accident in 1998, one-third of his interest passed to wife Mary Bono-Mack, and one-sixth interests were split amongst his kids. Bono-Mack, as well as Cher's daughter with Bono, Chastity Bono, are plaintiffs in the case, as well as Bono children Christy Bono, Chianna Bono and son Chesare Bono.

Music producer Snuff Garrett is also a plaintiff. He claims he is entitled to a 50% pro rata share of royalties from some of the recordings based on a producers deal with MCA Records.

This reminds me of reading the story of Allman Brothers earlier this year (which I need to review soon) and Cher’s many attempts to get Gregg and the Gang to investigate and stand up for what money was due to them and they weren't getting paid. They didn't heed the advice for a long time and were royally screwed. It's great that Cher is ON it.

Chandilier Other news:

Cher’s Augustus Pugin chandelier is up for sale again if anyone has 24,000 spare dollars. Is that the chandelier…to the right?

Phil Spector was sentenced last week: 19 years to life.

A blogger apologizes to Cher and Adam Lambert.

Sonny & Cher's ‘Stangs have been harshly critiqued –- but hey, what wasn’t tacky in the 1960s? The link has lots of pictures of the interiors.

We get it, the times were weird, everybody was experimenting with things other than music, and free expression was the mark of the day, but stuff like Bobcat fur upholstery is way too much for our tastes.

From a sheetmetal perspective, the cars are basically identically modified. Each gets a twin grille, Frenched Thunderbird tail lights, relocated and flush-mounted door handles, rolled and flared fenders, faux hood scoops and 40 coats of hippy-tastic paint. Each was a 289 car with the automatic transmission, but there the similarities end. Inside, the "Sonny" car has some nasty shag "Bobcat fur," antique leather and funky suede. Cher's car got Ermine fur and Scottish leather upholstery, trimmed in pink suede, oh and a white fur trunk. Gag, times two.

The two cars are being sold as a pair with an asking price of… get this… $400,000.00. We could have named this post "Nice Price or Crack Pipe: Columbian Drug Lord Edition."

Columbian Drug Lord Edition–very funny. But what's up with this chandelier and these mustangs being resold? Are these former Cher items haunted or something? Late-bea-arthur-and-estelle-getty

And last for news/links, dearly departed Estelle Getty and Bea Arthur do a Golden Girls send-up of Sonny & Cher.

Adam Lambert and Cher

May 21, 2009 / / 8 Comments

Adamlambert You may have heard that Adam Lambert did not win American Idol last night. He came in second to the very likable Kris Allen. However, Adam remains the blazing star of the show, even in Kris’ estimation.

See? That’s how nice Kris is.

Time Magazine recently published an article about how Idol has produced many singers who can sing perfectly pleasant songs, but Adam is idol’s very first star. In fact, they called him the Un-Idol.

Adam has a kind of Cher-like quality about him, not just because he blew “Believe” out of the water during Hollywood week. The guy is just full throttle and there’s this sense of fulfilled theatrical promise about him. He was strategically polished for an Idol contestant, which made him an almost unfair competitor in this decidedly amateur show. His versatility was engaging. He could do soul, alt-country, torch and then fire his pipes like an 80s glam rocker, a reincarnated Freddie Mercury.

But I think in some sense he was my fantasy of what fully-fulfilled Cher singer could be – had she embraced a 100% torch theatricality that the splendid Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour solos only hinted at.

This article by Mary Zeiher catalogs his key performances on the show (including a slam on Cher’s performance of "Believe").

“Adam Lambert American Idol performance #2: Remember in Hollywood Week when he sang Cher's "Believe"? When I heard what he was going to sing, I immediately thought "Oh, we are done with Adam Lambert. No one can do that song well. Cher doesn't even do that song well." But again he out-shone the competition.”

I actually disagree with her assessment and think although I don't love the song, Cher does as well as anyone with it.

On a related note, Bette Midler had something nice to say about (gasp!) Cher and then something a bit odd to say about Adam Lambert:

If he doesn't win American Idol, Midler doesn't think it means homophobia has reared its ugly, discriminatory head. "Don't take it as a slap in the face if you're a gay person," she said. "I pray that people don't get pissed off."

(Well, Adam did really well in this year's Idol competition so I don’t see evidence of widespread homophobia in American voters, who are every day skewing more tolerant in national polls on gay issues. I guess Family First-types could be behind all the Kris votes… but man, what a pathetic waste of time that would be, dudes.)

On Cher —

"I saw her show, and it was unbelievable," Midler gushes. "It was absolutely terrific. I had a great time. She looked great, sounded great and gave it her all. And I got a photograph with her, so I'm happy."

Is she fer real?
  

Cher Link Zoo

May 7, 2009 / / 0 Comments

For quite some time there has been a ton of links clogging up my blog to-do list. I’m just gonna throw them all up here now just so I can move on with my life. You can link wherever strikes your fancy. My take for must see items have a star (or two) next to them.

Continue reading

Flashbacks: Cermony, Alfie, MWARARS

April 9, 2009 / / 7 Comments

Ceremony-Couldve-Been-Love-410430

Ceremony

Chastity's band of the early 90s, here's their video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucugm3L-X-A

 

 

Alfie Alfie

Cher's version of the title song in Alfie trailer:
http://www.jaman.com/movie/Alfie-1966/0utguYlm0LHg/

 

 

 

 

MWARARS

The 45 download of Sonny & Cher's "Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer"
http://brackattack75.blogspot.com/2009/04/sonny-and-cher-mama-was-rock-and-roll.html

I really don't see why the bother of listening to the "radio edit" of this song. I mean, if you get tired of the opus half way through, just turn it off.

What Cher was thinking when she recorded this rock opera is one of the Cher scholar mysteries of all times.

  

Doubletakes: Impersonators, Covers and Album Art

April 2, 2009 / / 6 Comments

Notes on impersonations

Yes, this 400 pound Cher requires a double-take, if not a spit-take. I actually applaud this interpretation, which shows no boundaries in embodying a Cher attitude. 

Notes on covers

Cher scholar Tyler found this remake of Cher's hit "We All Sleep Alone"  The fellow really enunciates every single syllable. I'm getting a contempo Christian vibe from him, although he calls himself a folk-pop crooner. It's pleasant enough with the teeth of the song as I'm used to it seem to have fallen out.

Notes on alternate album covers

Cher scholar JeffRey forwarded me some awesome photos of alternate album covers as seen out there in the wild. You may have seen some of these in used store record bins from time to time, if searching through those is your bag (it happens to be mine).

Gysy  Cher, 1971
I love the full photograph cover, you get so much more Cher face in your face. However, I can see why they’d want to add the hit titles as a selling tool, like they used to do before album-wrap stickers were invented.

Bestof  The Best of Cher Volume I
This came out in the early to mid-70s and tere was even a volume II. I love the picture of Cher talking on a phone. How normal is that? But green? Is this the alien import?

Golden  Cher's Golden Greats
This was Cher's first solo compilation. And you know I love that picture because I dedicated a zine to it. They're both interesting. One has Cher looking larger and more steely-eyed. The other is more demure. Both show off her awesome rocks and those happy yellow flowers.

What are your thoughts?

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