Well hello. The blog continues apace, even if I may have forgotten it for a bit.
Among other things, 2016 has felt like a rougher year than usual for losing vital musicians. Objectively true? I don't know, but between Bowie, Cohen, Prince, Sharon Jones and a few others, the losses have hurt.
So yes, the news that Chuck Berry is not only alive and about well at 90 but is working on a new album does come as a relief. Berry has been playing rock 'n' roll since before anyone thought to call it that. He could have gone away in 1960 and never been forgotten. In terms of new music he pretty much did so in the late seventies. For him to decide that yes, he has something more to say is a stroke of luck on our part.
2 comments:
very nice article you linked to to. chuck berry does indeed do that particular kind of purely joyful music that can automatically bring a smile to your face. &, knowing how abused he'd been by the industry that profited off his work, that's truly saying something...
i gotta admit, i was indeed prepared, on seeing your post, to be saying good-bye to yet another cultural icon (which i did within the hour, anyway, what with the news of fidel castro). so that was a relief...
there was, however, a recent passing of another, somewhat lesser known, icon which you somehow managed to miss (well, we've sorta come to depend on you for this :) ). leon russell, former member of the 'wrecking crew', a group of 50's/60's l.a. studio musicians, who, individually & collectively, had a lot to do with a whole lot of stuff. he eventually went on to delany & bonnie, then joe cocker's mad dogs & englishman, & finally his solo career, which's when i got to see him, during his early 'ecstatic rock'n'roll gospel revival show' period. thanks, leon! :) ...
Yeah, I remember seeing the documentary/concert movie "Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll" about his 65th birthday celebration (?) I remember him being gracious, in love with his work, and filled with an infectious and well-earned confidence.
Didn't mean to worry you, about him. As for Castro, the only surprise for me is that no one has tried to take credit for it. Well, no one that I've heard of anyway.
I'm sort of just learning about Leon Russell now, in terms of his music and his legacy. He was out of the scene for a long time, it seems. In more recent years he'd been brought back to the spotlight by recording and touring with Elton John, with who me seems to have some real affinities. There's much more to dig into, I'm sure. :)
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