Albums you want to look for this spring

The Taking
Duff McKagan's Loaded

The former bassist of legendary rock bands Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver puts away his bass for the second time during the hiatus of Velvet Revolver and picks up the guitar and mic to rock out old school style. I won't blame you if you haven't heard of this band because they're on an independent label and that means a lot less exposure. Nevertheless, Duff proves once again how important his songwriting role was in Guns.

Drama y Luz 
Maná

The latin rock  band from Mexico took a while to release their follow up to "Amar es Combatir," still, They've managed to please their loyal fan base with songs written by drummer Alex that sound like their earlier punk songs. This album will probably appeal more to an adult audience than previous one due to the soft and easy listening nature of the record. Don't be fooled by the lack of constant distorted guitars; Singer Fher's voice is a sight for sore eyes. Now translate that metaphor in order to fit with ears. The album has aso done exceptionally well, landing a number two spot in the Billboard 200.

Wasting Light
Foo Fighters

As I mentioned yesterday, this is probably the best album of 2011. The emotions translate almost too easily through the screeching voice and guitars of Dave Grohl. This is the album that is going to kick the Foo Fighters to super stardom. Dave Grohl will finally get the credit he deserves for his long career as one of the most creative musicians.

The new suburbs doesn't waste light

If there is one rock album that you are going to buy this year, make sure it's "Wasting Light" of the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl finally released an album that includes emotions that he has held back since Kurt Cobain of Nirvana - Grohl's original band - killed himself almost two decades ago.

What's sweet about this album is how it was all recorded on analog equipment in Daves Grohl's garage. Ditching Pro Tools and all the computers worked great, not only for fans of the band, but to any person that appreciates quality music because you can't find music that sounds as natural in today's music industry. Slicing and pasting tape apparently has become to tedious and time-consuming, but the hard work pays off. Raw guitars and crystal clear drums with a warm and thumping bass take over the album that deals with rage and sadness.

Producer, Butch Vig, and Nirvana bassist, Krist Novoselic appeared in this album. They were both involved in Nirvana's smash album hit, "Nevermind." Their presence is easily noted in the track "I Should Have Known," which is a plead of regret to the unfortunate events that lead to the demise of Cobain and Nirvana. The exaggerated chorus effect and reverb pay tribute to the king of grunge.


Additionally, there are hard ballads like "Walk" that show how Grohl is drowning in his cries. Without a doubt, the signature sound of the Foo Fighters comes in "Rope." The fast-paced drums and crunchy guitars compliments Grohl's screaming (but definitely not screamo) vocal sound. "White Limo" is the song that makes Grohl say that this is their heaviest album yet. 


Last year Arcade Fire won it all with their masterpiece, "The Suburbs." Mark my words when I say that "Wasting Light" is going to win it all this year and the next. 

The Best Music Covers of All Time

Some of these songs have been re-engineered and remixed far beyond their original form, but the artists that covered them made them their own. These next five songs show musical proficiency on behalf of the cover artist, making them stand out and be admired more than their original counterparts.

5. It's My Life

No Doubt (2003)

Talk Talk wrote this pop hit in the early 80s, but when No Doubt covered this song to promote their greatest hits album, they elevated its potential as a rock song. The bassline doesn't change simply because it's the heart of the song.

4. Hallelujah

Jeff Buckley (1994)

This song didn't become popular until the singer-songwriter that covered Leonard Cohen's 80s song tragically died. This a song that is almost guaranteed to make you cry at the end. It's almost as if it has Buckley's dying breath.

3. Hurt

Johnny Cash (2002)

Originally written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, The legendary "Man in Black" broke down the song to it's most intimate form. Away goes the industrial effects, in come the soul.

2. Knocking on Heaven's Door

Guns N' Roses (1991)

Most people born in the 90s didn't realize that the song was an actual folk song written by Bob Dylan. Many artists have attempted to make those three chords their own, but only Guns N' Roses made it truly theirs with the flaming and passionate solos.

1. Feeling Good

Muse (2001)

Originally a jazz song written for a musical in the 60s. Muse doesn't even need a guitar to bring out the rocking sound of this song. A distorted bass, drums, piano, and megaphone are enough to elevate Muse's cult hit as the best cover song in the world.

A Lehigh Theatre Production Like No Other

I wish I had written this blog post last week as soon as I finished watching the second run of "gEner8-tion Txt" here at Lehigh so that all of you would have rushed to see it Sunday afternoon, or this mid-week. It's still running. It closes Saturday night so make sure you go check it out.


I had to get that off my chest because this production is truly breath-taking. I have never seen anything like it before; not here at Lehigh, not anywhere. To put it in the words of cast member David Quiñones, "It's revolutionary." 


The beauty of it: it's written by cast members and director Kashi Johsnon.


While it doesn't follow your traditional story plot like most plays (it doesn't have one, to put it at that), it does send a message deep into your skin about what today's generation really is all about. Texting, tweeting, emails, youtube, etc. all the social media is explored and presented in a comical, but at times very dramatic ways to evoke the emotions today's youth feels.

There's dancing, there's singing and rapping, but it's not a musical. Far from it. This show is a confession: told from today's generation to the world in order to try and explain that they are mere victims of the age of information and technology, and that they simply use it to express themselves, whether it's in 140 characters or less.

The show is not all about texting or technology. There are personal stories or "truths" that the cast members show through different mediums. Allie Linn breaks into an intese dance with vocal overdubs that projects desperations and rage, similar to the hate song in "Billy Elliot." Other members of the cast sing, rap, talk and shout their most personal stories with such honesty and comfort (and sometimes discomfort), and that's what makes this production stand out from others.

There is no BS here. What you see is what you get.

And what you get is damn good.

Wiz Rocks Sundaze

Interview with The Kale

Spanish singer-songwriter and musician, The Kale, on learning instruments, breaking the language barrier and his upcoming album

1. When did you learn to play your first instrument? Describe your learning process with music.

There was a piano at home when I was born, a very cheap one that my father bought when he was young. I remember myself always playing the keys. I took lessons a short period of time but it was a straightjacket system so I quit going. Then I learned to play guitar on my own, then the bass and drums. I always try to play and create, not just practice.

2. How come english is your choice for lyrics?

It was a sum of circs. First of all I've always listened to music in english so it was natural to me. I also had not a very powerful voice so short words you usually find in english were more comfortable for me to sing. Finally it was the way the older people around me didn't know what I was saying…

3. If you could perform with any musician for one night, who would it be? Why?

If I could I would play with Sir Paul McCartney. He represents exactly what a great musician is to me. There's a personality underneath all and he has reached the higher peaks of musical creativity. I would not mind playing just the tambourine in a darkest corner of the stage…

4. What is your one regret in terms of music?

Overall I'm satisfied with my current situation, but there's a big difference between living for music, living of music and living with music. I wish I had started recording albums just five or six years earlier, when I was in my mid-20s. I consider it's not a matter of age but a matter of time and dedication. 

5. How is your upcoming album going to differ from your past recordings?

I tend to be a little bit raw so I tried and calmed myself down to make a more flat, elegant and cool album. At the end I think it is not… all that rawness is trying to get out all the time. A fascinating way to discover your own style is to put your trends on the ropes and let them strike back. So then my next album is going to be really crude…

G-Txt opening this Friday!

It's that time of the semester again when theatre takes over Zoellner for two weeks. "GEner8-tion Txt" is opening this Friday at the Diamond Theatre in Zoellner. Below is an article about the show that I wrote for the Brown and White a while back. Cast members and production staff share their thoughts on what this show means to them.

HomeLifestyle

Gener8-tion-txt

By Adrian Velazquez

Issue date: 2/25/11 Section: Lifestyle

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Media Credit: Abigial Harris-Shea

What is your personal truth? What is our generation called? 

These are the questions that "GEner8-tion Txt," a play created and written by Lehigh students and directed by Kashi Johnson, associate professor of theatre, will attempt to showcase and answer when it opens on April 8.

"'GEner8-tion Txt' is truly a one-of-a-kind show," said cast member David Quinones, '12. "I don't think anything like this has ever been done before. It's basically all original material. Everything you see is written and produced by local artists and cast members. It's something completely brand new."

"This is a story about today's generation spoken by today's generation," Johnson said. "I think it's a self-empowerment piece."

The play also emphasizes the role of technology as a way of self-expression in today's generation.

"There's a concept that goes throughout the whole show of technology," Quinones said. "The show is called 'GEner8-tion Txt.' We are the generation of texting."

The production took stage after Johnson taught a hip-hop acting class.

"Given the fact that I had done the 'Act Like You Know' class for four years (not consecutively), it made sense that this might be the next progression," Johnson said. "All those classes culminated in a final live show showcasing the work of the class. So, this [show] is a more full experience.

Casting for 'G-Txt' took place during mid-fall last year, well in advance of opening night. Most plays at Lehigh are cast about two months beforehand, but since the cast wrote the script, they had to devote an entire half semester to that. 

The audition process was also different and unique compared to most. 

With no script at hand to read from or prepare for, Johnson required aspiring cast members to each prepare and present an original piece of material.

Johnson said she was looking for fearlessness and trust in her performers. 

"I really wanted people who were willing to express themselves and [who were] open to the journey that they were going to go on with me," she said. "They could trust the fact that even though I didn't have the answers, we were going to end some place really great."

"It had to be about ourselves," said cast member Allison Linn, '11. "I created a piece that was both movement, because I'm a dancer, and text, which I performed simultaneously."

After casting the show, work on the script began right away. 

First, the cast focused on "ensemble building," writing some pieces and getting to know each other, Quinones said. 

"Soon after that, we started banging out more and more original material. Kashi would give us topics to write about," he said.

"It took some time," Johnson said. "My writing assignments were very task-oriented. 

"We sat down, and we just started brainstorming things that made sense to us," Linn said. "Kashi told us an idea that she had for where she thought maybe we could go with the show. We had 15 people writing different things."

The cast used an online cloud computing site called AirSet.com to share files with fellow cast members and submit them to the director. 

When the cast returned from winter break, it finally had a rough script. It has continued to be changed until recently.

"Since I came on board, we've had three or four copies of the script," said stage manager Vanessa Arvidson, '14.

Now that rehearsals are underway, the cast and crew's stamina is beginning to be tested. 

On the whole, students are able to earn up to six credits for this production. Two of them were from last semester and were optional, and this semester, the performance credit of any theatre production is also two credits. 

There is also an additional studio class where some members of the production work on the finishing touches of the script.

"We meet twice in the week for two hours," Johnson said. "And we have rehearsals every night. The purpose of the studio is to iron out the kinks."

"It's rehearsal outside rehearsal," Linn said.

"Right now, my job isn't as difficult as it will be," said Arvidson, who takes charge of the entire production once technical rehearsals begin. "It's going to be a very hands-on show. It's going to be intense. It's going to be great."

Johnson is also involved with "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot," the production right before "GEner8-tion Txt." 

It has been challenging for her stamina, but Judas has a flexible director, Gus Ripa, who coordinated well with her in advance, she said.

The ethnically diverse group of cast members is excited to show the Lehigh community the result of months of hard work and sacrifice.

"This play shows what we, as a generation, want to say," Linn said. "It's very personal. There is going to be a lot to take-in and focus."

Quinones said the show is very real, and he expects all the emotions of the audience members to be tapped. 

"I will not hesitate to call this show anything less than generation-defining and revolutionary," he said. "GEner8-tion Txt" will be performed in the Diamond Theater in Zoellner Arts Center on April 8, 9, 13, 14, 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. A matinee performance will be held on April 10 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $5 for students and$11 for faculty, staff and seniors.

Do you really need a music teacher?

Say you want to learn to play an instrument just for the fun of it. Say you don't have the time, resources or commitment to receive music lessons. What are you going to do?

TEACH YOUR OWN SELF!

That's what I did, and that's what hundreds of professional musicians out there do too. Where there's a will, there's a way; and with today's internet and vast resources, it's so easy to teach yourself by going into sites like songsterr or ultimate guitar. These sites are literally idiot-proof. Add a bit of common sense and research on the web, as well as maybe buying a few books like "Guitar For Dummies" or "Music Theory For Dummies" and you'll be on your way to learning the fundamentals of an instrument.

Now, say you want to perform in a professional orchestra, or teach; then that's where lessons really payoff because you learn details you would otherwise miss. And these days, to participate in an orchestra (at least a decent or prestigious one), you have to be classically trained. The trick here is knowing how to read music. That's something that you would be surprised how many mainstream artists out there don't know how to do.

The musicians in rock bands are usually self-taught (unless you're a session-musician) and they only know how to read chords or tablature. Pop artists usually don't even write their own songs, let alone play an instrument. And don't even get me started on hip/hop or rap.

Pros. of teaching yourself:
1. Your way, your pace.
2. Stress-free.
3. Cheaper.
4. Looks better with everyone except music directors when you say you taught yourself.


Cons:
1. Takes more time.
2. You don't follow a rigorous schedule.
3. Harder to get a job at an orchestra or as a session musician.
4. You rarely learn how to read music.

The Man Who Went Around the World... Of Music

In his more than 50 years in the music industry, Gene Perla has done it all, according to him, by the stroke of luck. He’s performed alongside some of the most prominent jazz musicians in history, founded his own record and publishing companies, and has even allowed a little time to give back and teach.

            Born in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey in 1940, during the prominence of jazz music, Perla, 70, knew from a young age he was destined to play music. He learned piano at the age of five. An only child with parents who didn’t get along, he turned to music to get through his early years. “I grew up kind of alone,” said Perla. “My mother was very supportive of my music. She paid for my piano lessons.”

            At age 24, after struggling to master the piano, Perla switched gears and learned to play bass. He had found his niche. He would become one of the most influential and proficient jazz bass players of the ‘60s. “The bass was perfect for me because it played organically,” said Perla.

            He then moved to New York to become a professional musician. “The doors opened immediately, he said. “It was thrilling to have the opportunity of doing what one dreamed about. I even got to play with the greatest singer of all time (Frank Sinatra) simply through all the connections and opportunities at the time.”

            A tall, skinny, white-haired man who hasn’t seemed to age past 50, Perla credits his career shifts and business ventures to flukes. “I landed a gig with a famous drummer called Elvin Jones who was asking me for songs to record,” Perla said. “So with the help and advice of friends and lawyers, I set up my own publishing company and copyrighted and sold my own songs.”

            Perla Music Records was even more spontaneous. “A friend of mine who was a saxophonist was complaining about not having any success,” Perla said. “I listened to it and I liked it. So with the help of my attorney, Bill Krasilovsky, I set up my own record company.”  

            Regardless of all the constant career moves, performing has always been Perla’s passion. “I love to play and produce music, he said. “Performing has brought me the success of inner happiness. It gave me something to focus on, explore feelings, become educated and travel the world.”

            His most vivid and cherished memory was performing with Nina Simone in Holland. “The music and environment was soft and delicate,” he said. “It was like full hours of quiet where you feel the sensation of hearing droplets of rain. The intensity was so great that I felt that consciousness escaped physical being.”

            Perla’s transition to teaching came from orders above him. “My first wife wanted me to settle down, so she basically gave me an ultimatum. It’s ironic how that works out right?” His first wife divorced him after 10 years of marriage.

            He landed his gig as a professor at Lehigh through his infatuation of making connections. “I went to the music department where I was introduced to Bill Warfield (director of the jazz band) after they told me they needed a bass teacher,” he said. “I’ll never forget the words Bill said, ‘Gene Perla? Are you that famous bass player?’ Things like that reminded me that I was cool.”

            Perla got the job and eventually created Lehigh’s music business classes where he uses his experience and knowledge to instill the ever-changing concepts of the music industry to his students. “He incorporates stories and experiences he has had to clarify certain topics we learn, or just to share funny anecdotes about things that go on within the industry,” said Michael Langsner, a former student.

            “I admire the fact that Perla knew exactly what he wanted to do and worked hard enough to make a successful living doing it,” said Eric Schwartz, a former student too.

            Perla’s philosophy for success is to go with the flow. That’s how he made it through the maze of the music business and how he recommends others to follow. “You have to attack life,” said Perla. “I like to accomplish things no matter how difficult they are.”

First Podcast Interview

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Guitar player, 80s rock lover and Lehigh student; Ramiro Alfaro; talks about music in his life.