Under a Bridge with the Chili Peppers

As I mentioned last week, I recently completed a 96X Anthology or, as I affectionately call it, "The definitive musical chronicle of my youth and adolescence."

Remember all the awesome music from the 90's and the local station who played all your alternarock favorites? Yep, I made a gigantic mix of that in chronological order, '91-98ish. Thirteen Volumes. Done.

Anyway, I'm going to pick a song from each volume and talk a little about it...

Volume 1: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Under the Bridge"
This single came out in the summer of 1991, in anticipation of the September release. While the rest of the world waited in pre-Nirvana purgatoroy, I was in summer camp, doing what seven year-olds do: making fun of girls, running real fast, showing disdain for figures of authority (insert "were you seven or twenty-four" joke here).

Anyway, Lausanne's summer camp had periods, like school. You know, music at 8am, ballet at 9am, whatever. After swimming outside (maybe 2pm?), we'd go to arts and crafts. Every day we walked into arts and crafts, the counselors (who seemed 35 at the time and were probably 16) had a radio on in the background. And every day as I walked into arts and crafts "Under the Bridge" was on. I didn't know anything about music at this point, I just knew that this song was on the radio at the exact same time every day and that the arts and crafts counselors liked it. To this day, that song smells like watercolors.

A few years later, it was the first song I learned on bass. "Under the Bridge" is kind of the "Stairway to Heaven" for nascent bassists--everyone learns it. It's good, and it's fun to play, and it sounds impressive, but it's not difficult to learn.

A year after that I picked up the guitar and fell in love with John Frusciante, realizing just how good he always was. The guitar work in "Under the Bridge" is not complex, but so incredibly sharp, and vibrant--it's really an intermediate lesson in rhythm guitar playing.

A few years after that, my interest in recording and producing picked up and (not coincidentally) I read a lot about Rick Rubin. How they recorded Blood Sugar Sex Magik, how he didn't like some of the older songs the band brought in and encouraged Keidis to create something new, to actually write from a more immediate and honest place. How they put this poem to music in the studio, and that became their first and biggest hit. How that's a great lesson for any artist--push yourself to do something newer, and more urgent, and more immediate. How to create lightning in a bottle.

The 9o's went on and the RHCP became one of the biggest bands in the world. 96X spun more and more of their newer hits, and "Under the Bridge" became the seminal, breakthrough song that everyone appreciates but nobody ever plays (too, you know, "obvious"). But it's always been my favorite Chili Peppers song, and the one that's meant something different to me at every stage. Great songs do that.

And it still smells like watercolors.

P.S. In what should've been the easiest layup on the planet six freaking years ago, Lucero just signed a four-album deal with Universal. Seriously, this is awesome news for them and I'm stoked. It just goes to show that if you do things the right way, make great music, move tens of thousands of records, sell out every major venue across the country, generate boatloads of critical acclaim and attract a huge overseas fanbase...major labels only take 10 years to find you. A tip of the cap to you, Industry.

Top 40 Bands on the Planet, Part III

Some readers need to learn the art of delayed gratification. After a brief stint to Memphis, I'm back and ready to deliver the Top 10 Bands on Planet Earth. But first, a caveat:

Many of you are reading this wondering, "I wonder where Aerosmith will rank in the Top 10," or, "He's gotta have the Stones at Number 1, right?" Wrong. Old, legendary bands like Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones were of a completely different era, and haven't been relevant in upwards of fifteen years. They're great bands, they're still standing, and they get points for longevity--but, for the purposes of fair comparison, I haven't included them in this list. That goes for perennial reunion projects like The Who, Big Star, Fleetwood Mac, etc.

Onward and upward!

10) Red Hot Chili Peppers
Another aging band whose best days are behind it but whose worse days aren't fast approaching. Although their most recent effort sounds somehow less mature than 2000's Californication, the Chili Peppers are still a band devoted to musical alchemy and live-performance dominance, all in the context of the "Modern Pop Song." Any band that's still relevant fifteen years after its breakthrough is deserving of praise.

9) The Strokes
Is it a testiment to their strength or a sign of their weakness that The Strokes really catalyzed the "garage rock" Renaissance of the early zeros? Although you can tell something about a band by their influence, I'm of the opinion that no good band should be criticized for having crappy imitators. Three rock-solid albums, tireless touring, and singles that are as accessible and intriguing as ever, and I'm starting to wonder if we're still waiting for the best of The Strokes. Regardless of how you feel about their slightly indulgent lyrics, their carefully tailored hipster status, or their own commentary on their own band in their own scene, The Strokes are a group that is currently vital, relevant, and consistently interesting. Simply put: they matter.

8) Wilco
If The Strokes get credit for being a relevant faux-indie band on the mainstream's fring, Wilco gets extra credit for doing it twice as long. No other band of the past ten years has so gracefully straddled the hazy line between stars and superstars--their music is exceedingly well-known and successful, but the most casual music fan likely does not know the name Wilco. Being There (their debut) and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (one of the best albums of the decade) alone would merit a Top 20 ranking, but their entire catalogue serves as a constant reminder of just how rewarding thoughtful songwriting and potent performances can be. I often use the term successful as a relative, as though each band should be graded respective to whatever it is they do. In that, Wilco is a band that does what they do so well that they don't have any recognizable imitators--only a generation of admiring and appreciative fans.

7) Counting Crows
If a football team is only as strong as its weakest link, then perhaps bands are only as strong as their strongest link. In the case of the Counting Crows, their greatest asset and hindrance is the same person: singer and chief songwriter Adam Duritz. Few individuals in the history of rock are as simultaneously admirable and frustrating. When he's on ("Round Here," "Saint Robinson's Cadillac Dream," "Long December"), he's so, so on. When he's off ("Colorblind," "I Wish I Was a Girl," "New Frontier"), he's horribly off. But perhaps the greatest transgression is his more recent refusal to be productive in any capacity, good or bad. The Counting Crows, for all their longevity, hit-making prowess, and nearly unequalled musicianship, don't currently merit a higher ranking because they simply have been inactive for nearly four years. Here's hoping that next time is the best of times, rather than the worse.

6) R.E.M.
My brother and I believe that there are two types of people in the world: those who believe U2 was the quintessential alternative rock band of the 80's and those who believe R.E.M owns that distinction. Consider me in the latter camp, and I think time has proven it. Not only did R.E.M. age better in the 90's, they've become rock's most respectable and still relevant elder statesmen, opting instead to craft beautiful, accessible songs ("Imitation of Life," "Bad Day," etc.) rather than pimping IPods and posing as an unwitting, ludicrous self-parody. As a vocalist, Stipe remains as disarming, versatile, and gorgeous as ever, and the band has no shortage of creativity or ambition still in the tank. They are, with every new album and tour, writing the book on how a band can age gracefully.

5) My Morning Jacket
If R.E.M. was the South's band of yesterday, My Morning Jacket almost indisputably its band of today. Nevermind the fact that their first two major-label releases stand among the strongest and most relevant of the decade. Nevermind the fact that their live show is, to this artist's eye, currently the best on the planet. Nevermind the fact that Jim James hasn't even peaked as a songwriter yet, and that the addition of their new lead guitarist and keyboard player give the band an entirely new dimension in the studio and onstage. Disregard all of that, if you like. If for no other reason, love My Morning Jacket because they are a band simultaneously of yesterday and tomorrow--their music at once classic and clairvoyant, familiar and fresh. They are, arguably, rock's best new band, and it's possible they haven't even peaked yet.

4) Radiohead
If this list came out in 1997, Radiohead would be my consensus #1. Since The Bends and OK Computer (two Pantheon albums), Radiohead has taken an aesthetic departure towards more "experimental" music. While Kid A and Amnesiac were ultimately successful forays, Hail to the Thief is a thoroughly disjointed album. Most recently, they've sounded like a band that has blazed so many trails they're reluctant to pick one. Never discount their enormous influence, exceptional songwriting, and cultural importance--all three are above reproach. Radiohead's current problem is not unlike the Counting Crows': it's been far too long since their last release, so it's difficult to grade them on what they've done lately. There's a fair chance that the next Radiohead album will be completely brilliant, catapulting them to their debatable place at #1. Until then, though, their memory and sustained impact keep them safely in the Top 5.

3) Green Day
Many pop music fans, even Green Day fans, struggle with the question, "How seriously can I take Green Day?" This is due, in large part, to their self-effacing persona, their uneven live shows, and the fact that their debut album was named after poo. For me, American Idiot put those questions to rest. Here is a band that has simply, magically, completely grown up. Smarter songwriting, pointedly topical lyrics, fantastic musicianship, and a palpable sense of urgency inform this double-disc--it plays like the last and definitive statement of a band that has nearly everything to say for itself. And, in a time when some of rock's "biggest" bands claim their fame by pretending to be small, Green Day remains a great band for their willingness to go big, and their capacity for delivering.

2) The White Stripes
Of the two "new" bands in the Top 5, My Morning Jacket has the higher ceiling, but the White Stripes have (to this point) achieved more. This could be due to the fact that Jack and Meg White are simply older and more experienced than Jim James & Co. This could be due to the fact that they're more devoted to writing songs with a pop sensibility, gaining them increased airplay, exposure, and mainstream impact. Or, they could just be more consistent. Whatever the reason, the span from White Blood Cells to Get Behind Me Satan is as good a three-album stint as we've had since the mid-90's. These two are steady, reliable, sharp, and exciting, and in their absolute prime. For right now, they're as good as anyone.

1) Pearl Jam
The best band (in the studio and on the road) of the past 15 years just released one of their best albums. Their concerts are as tight and unpredictable as ever. And Eddie still has his fastball. Pearl Jam, at least for 2006, is the Once and Future King.

Self-entitled,
Chris

P.S. Special thanks to everyone at the P&H Wednesday--y'all know how to make a kid feel at home again.

Top 40 Bands on the Planet, Part II

Yesterday I began my quest to name and rank the Top 40 Bands on the Planet (Earth). Today I pick up where I left off, at Numero Twentioso...

20) Belle and Sebastian
I'm a latecomer to these Scots, but no casual fan--as a group of lyrically-intensive, acoustic-driven melodists, they're about as good as it gets. Only the vocal oddities keep some of the best work from being taken completely seriously, but I'm not sure any song is completely serious ("Piazza, New York catcher are you straight or are you gay?").

19) Queens of the Stone Age
No one with a rudimentary knowledge of rock's past fifteen years will be surprised to read that the Queens were best when Dave Grohl was their drummer (Songs for the Deaf). Thoughtful lyrics, tight songwriting, and excellent musicianship are the strengths of hard rock's hippest band, but what really sets them apart from their semi-metal peers is their strongest muscle: their sense of humor.

18) Son Volt
When Uncle Tupelo broke up and begat two new alt-country uberbands, fans waited anxiously to see which would produce better work. Wilco may lead that race, but Son Volt's not far behind, with Jay Farrar as devoted as ever to topical lyrics and catchy alt-country melodies. Each Son Volt record is equal parts familiar and unpredictable, fresh and unique but still accessible. They might make a stronger point for a higher ranking if their live set wasn't relatively sleepy these days.

17) The Killers
Remember Jet? That whole bit about swinging for the fences? Well, the Killers are power hitters with a better average, and as much as "disco-punk" is, to my ear, an aesthetic oxymoron, it's hard to deny the urgency, energy, and pop-potency of their most noteworthy hits (especially "Somebody Told Me"). Recent rumblings suggest that their sophomore effort might not be worthwhile, but for now, they remain one of rock's most ambitious and powerful hit-makers.

16) Weezer
If this list were made in 1996, Weezer would make a convincing case for Top 3 placement. Ten years later, they're recycling their own perennial break-up rumors, caught in their own bizarre headspace, and drowning in irony. Nobody can deny Rivers' ability to write a relevant, catchy hit, but at what point did we stop trusting that the band is in on the joke?

15) U2
Speaking of bands that don't age well, welcome U2 into the Top 15. Cheers to what you used to be. Cheers to your extracurriculars. But anyone who really believes How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was the best album of last year is drinking IPod's Kool-Aid. Stop citing Southern music as your chief influence and refusing to tour in the South (where folks can't pay $150 for decent seats). Stop using Mac to push your product. Stop copping Jesus' mannerisms. And stop, stop, stop thinking anything musically related to your band is still relevant.

14) Lucero
Maybe I'm biased. Alright, I'm certainly biased. But, regardless of where any given fan is from, it's hard to deny that these homespun minor legends have vaulted themselves into the Southern rock canon with 4 (going on 5) truly great albums and years of tireless roadwork. And, while most songwriters peak in their mid-to-late twenties, Ben Nichols is only getting better. As their nationwide fanbase increases and the buzz for September's Rogues, Rebels, and Sworn Brothers reaches a fever pitch, Lucero is a band with absolutely no shortage of relevance, and no signs of slowing down.

13) Foo Fighters
By now you've read at least one piece of unabashed flattery for Dave Grohl, one of rock's Most Valuable Players. And, although their most recent double album didn't play exactly as they anticipated, this is a band that will seemingly always deliver--radio hits, sleeper favorites, a tinge of unpredictability, and a top-tier live show. They're the type of band that is nearly impossible to hate.

12) Coldplay
Though I'm not necessarily a fan, they are, undoubtedly, one of rock's biggest bands in terms of popularity and scope. And, although I typically don't indulge in piano-driven atmospherics, nor falsetto-laden whinings, even I can't deny the success of songs like "Fix You" and "Swallowed in the Sea" off their most recent album. Whether you like it or not, Chris Martin and Co. do what they do, and they do it consistently well.

11) Red Hot Chili Peppers
Another aging band whose best days are behind it but whose worse days aren't fast approaching. Although their most recent effort sounds somehow less mature than 2000's Californication, the Chili Peppers are still a band devoted to musical alchemy and live-performance dominance, all in the context of the "Modern Pop Song." Any band that's still relevant fifteen years after its breakthrough is deserving of praise.

Top Ten Tomorrow!
Chris