The Hives Strike Ventura, Ventura Strikes Back

First, Brad Nowell dies of an overdose the night before a scheduled Sublime gig at Nicholby’s. Then Dee Dee Ramone croaks a day or two away from a Ventura tour stop. And last night, whatever curse hangs over this city waiting to engulf visiting musicians struck again, albeit in a (hopefully) milder form. As roadies prepared the stage for Swedish garage rock revivalists, singer Pelle Almqvist wandered out to inform the crowd that guitarist Vigilante Carlstroem had been taken to the hospital for undisclosed reasons. Thus, this would be a “different” kind of Hives show, with Almqvist — whose energized presence is pretty much the entire reason why Spin once declared them one of the best live bands on the planet — anchored to a guitar. (Isn’t this the kind of situation where the guitar tech who’s been secretly practicing the set the whole tour steps in to save the show?)

Luckily for those who actually paid for the show (which doesn’t include me — it’s a perk, all right?), Almqvist ditched the six-string two songs in and got back to the mic-swinging and amp-climbing people expected, only picking the instrument back up occasionally throughout the set. Without the twin guitar attack to bolster the power chord riffing, the band’s sound definitely lost a bit of its muscle, but the reconfigured four-piece managed to turn in a punchy, typically adrenalized performance, at least enough to keep anyone from asking for their money back.

But what the hell happened to Carlstroem? Food poisoning? Seizure? Random gorilla attack?

Their MySpace and Website has no updates as of yet, although their most recent diary entry, dated 9/21, reveals both Almqvist and Carlstroem have been sick the last few days. And of course it all comes to a head in Ventura. Typical.

Berry backs Barry

From Reuters:

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Republican candidate John McCain may have used his song in the U.S. presidential campaign, but veteran rock ‘n’ roller Chuck Berry has no doubt whom he wants to see in the White House next year.

“America has finally come to this point where you can pick a man of color and that not be a drawback,” the legendary 81-year-old guitarist said of Barack Obama, who clinched the Democratic presidential nomination last week and would become the country’s first black president if he wins in November.

“It’s no question, myself being a man of color … I mean, you have to feel good about it,” Berry, himself a black pioneer in the 1950s music scene, told Reuters by phone from New York ahead of a Brazil tour that starts next week.

“Definitely a proud and successful moment for all the people of this country, not just black people, but Americans in general.”

Now that Chuck has officially endorsed him, Barack should hit him up for the right to use “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” as his campaign song. Or at least have him perform at the inauguration.

Bo Diddley, 1928-2008

He wore a cobra snake for a necktie. Ain’t really much more to say than that, other than to note that, perhaps just barely behind Chuck Berry, Bo was the best of rock’n'roll’s founding fathers — certainly the most original. Fifty-plus years on and no one has ever sounded like him, although without him, we wouldn’t have a lot things, such as the first Stooges album, “Rudie Can’t Fail” and the countless other songs that jacked the Bo Diddley Beat. And how fucking great do you have to be to have a rhythm named after you?

Don Cavalli, “Cryland” (2008, Everloving, A)

Frenchman Don Cavalli’s earlier work was little more than a decent genre exercise: retro rockabilly performed with enough authenticity to trick people into believing he was not only recording in the 1950s but that he was born in a bog somewhere in the southern United States. Good, but nothing a million other artists obsessed with American roots music around the world weren’t already doing. Cryland, however, is something else entirely. It remains hogtied to the blues, but spackled with minimalist funk, garage rock, Cajun and even dub influences, with the constant churn of a wah-wah pedal bubbling underneath. Cavalli performed to a small but highly appreciative crowd of mostly uninitiated folks at the Mercury Lounge in Goleta this past weekend. He hasn’t quite gotten the hype in this country yet — the album has been out in France for a year; it was just released stateside last week — but with a few more tours he should reach at least a level of cult status. I mean, how can you deny the awesomeness this video:

“I’m Going to a River”

Record Store Day

Tomorrow is Record Store Day, an event “with the purpose of celebrating the culture and unique place that [independent record stores] occupy both in their local communities and nationally.” In other words, it is a last-ditch effort to save a dying industry. As a music fan, I am not particularly elated at the slow death of the record store, but I am not a Luddite either. I have long held the opinion that the technology that has come around in the last decade is only going to help music culture as a whole. So while it sucks to see so many businesses struggling and closing, it’s really up to these places to find a way to adapt rather than playing on the nostalgia and sentiment of what is quickly becoming a bygone era. Because honestly, the music is more important than the package it comes in.

That being said, some of the remaining record stores in Ventura County are participating, including Buffalo Records:

ONE DAY ONLY!
OUR BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR!

Saturday, APRIL 19, 2008 10am-8pm
used records & CDs
50% off all used records & CDs $2 and under
30% off all used records & CDs $2.01 – $9.99
15% off all used records & CDs $10 and over

Raffle:

1st prize: $100 Buffalo Records gift certificate
2nd prize: $25 Buffalo Records gift certificate
3rd prize: Buffalo Records t-shirt (any size/color)

1 raffle ticket per item purchased
no purchase necessary: 1 free ticket upon request

Plus: FREE STUFF with every music purchase!
sampler CDs & LPs and more!

And, of course, local institution Salzer’s Records (whose site is down right now for some reason — their MySpace is still up, though) is celebrating with a concert in its parking lot, featuring the bands of many of its employees. Courtesy of Reporter freelancer, Army of Freshmen frontman and sometime Salzer’s clerk Chris Jay:

As record stores prepare for a Tolkien worthy final stand against the combined forces of Wal Mart and digital stores, they’ll be a call to arms of sorts this Saturday for “Record Store Day”. Artists are doing signings and performances at record stores world wide and Salzer’s Records will be getting in on the celebration with a parking lot concert that features a strange twist- the show will only feature acts that are employed currently or have worked at Salzers in the past. Beyond just being one of the best single location independent music stores in the country, Salzers is just as beloved as long time bill payer for area musicians. Not many jobs let employees take time off for tours and recording and that charity alone is enough for celebration. The Fucking Wrath, I Was A Lover, Delorean Is A Dealer, Frank Barajas, Chris Bailey, City 17, Purely Miss, Get Gone, Lyrical Geniuses and most exciting of all, The Jim Salzer Experience come together to show their support to the life affirming experience of shopping at a real record store. Be there or good luck trying to have a heart to heart about your favorite artist with the clerk at itunes. Festivities kick off at 1pm this Saturday, April 19th.

Can’t wait to find out what the hell the “Jim Salzer Experience” is, myself.

No word on what Grady’s or American Pie (their Web site is also down) is planning, if anything, but either way, as local record stores, both deserve patronage on this of all days, right?

Mike Miller, 1952-2008

I didn’t know Mike Miller personally, but being the After Dark guy here at the Reporter, I have entered his band’s name, Blue Stew, into the nightly entertainment listings countless times over the years. So the least I can do is copy and paste the eulogy that was e-mailed to us.

Michael Paul Miller, 56, of Oxnard, passed away April 8, 2008, at his home.

He was born Feb. 29, 1952, in Compton, Calif., to Paul Miller and Yvonne Carr (Ellis). Mike graduated from Oxnard High School in 1970 and from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood in 1981.

He was united in marriage to Julie Oppegaard on Jan. 22, 1983, and to his union one son was born. Mike’s life and musical inspiration came from this struggle of living with Tourette’s syndrome, a genetic disease that manifests itself by vocal and motor tics, ADD and severe depression. This made Mike unable to maintain a normal job, so he found his solace in drawing, songwriting, singing and playing guitar.

At age 17 he began traveling the states until he found his future wife, Julie, in a small nightclub in Minnesota.

Mike believed in the power of music and the ability it had on changing lives. He performed in many bands, the last being Blue Stew, for which he wrote numerous songs for their four albums. He also produced a solo album, “Homeward,” alone in his quiet hours, and enjoyed music trivia, watching movies, playing with his dogs and anything that included his son, Justin. His loving, tender soul has touched us all.

Mike is survived by his wife of 25 years and their son, Justin Michael Miller, both of Oxnard; mother, Yvonne Carr of Oxnard; sister, Joelle Brooks of Tucson; aunt Arline and uncle Dick; and nephews, Michael, Spencer, Dana and Dylan.

He was preceded in death by his father, Paul, and sister Becky.

Mike’s last thoughts, found on a notepad, were, “So many rivers to cross; Just one more river to cross.”

Mike has turned his many stumbling blocks into steppingstones and has now crossed that last river. May our memories of him be an inspiration for all, and may his spirit live on through his music. Hear Mike’s music at http://www.bluestew.com.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 14, at the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, with the Rev. Cathy Norman officiating. A reception will follow at the Hi Cees Cafe, 1591 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura.

Donations to the Miller family may be sent in care of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Road, Ventura, CA 93003.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home and Crematory, Ventura.

Found some stuff of Mike Miller and Blue Stew on YouTube as well. Below is a clip of them doing some Howlin’ Wolf. More footage of the band is available here.

I Wanna Be Your Material Dog?

From rollingstone.com:

“According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Iggy & The Stooges will perform for Madonna at this year’s induction ceremony. The choice of the Stooges may raise some eyebrows, but isn’t as strange as it seems: both the band and Madonna are Detroit natives, and Iggy Pop opened for Madonna at the Dublin date for her Reinvention Tour in 2004.”

You know who is going to be really stoked about this? Stooges bassist Mike Watt. First, he becomes a member of his favorite band ever. Now, he gets to play with said band as they represent his favorite diva ever. And whoever thought one of the Minutemen would get to the Hall of Fame? Dude is living the dream, and all he had to do was spend 20-something years living out of an Econoline van.

I couldn’t find any clips of Watt and one of his 200 bands performing Madonna songs on YouTube, though I swear there used to be some. So, enjoy Watt covering Wire instead.