MUSIC DIVIDES US

Someone posted this in the lobby of my building; then a reply.

SUPER GROUPS (AS HIGH SCHOOL CLIQUES)

Numerous bands formed while the musicians were navigating through the perilous process that is high school. I wouldn't be the first writer to draw parallels between the present world of entertainment and the laborious languidness most face in the halls. As a defense many align themselves with like minded individuals and form cliques. While none of the super groups in this article formed that way, it's not difficult to imagine what kinds of cliques these groups would be classified as by listening to their music and analyzing their respective histories.


The Last Hard Men (the outcasts)
Kelley Deal (the Breeders, Kelley Deal 6000), Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins, Zwan, Jimmy Chamberlin Complex), Jimmy Flemion (the Frogs) & Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)

I snagged the Last Hard Men's only album in a second-hand store a few years back for $6. There's a reason why it was $6. Uneven and eccentric, it's still worth a listen for kitsch value alone- especially the weird School's Out cover that appeared on the Scream soundtrack. Recorded in 1996 and 1997, Atlantic Records refused to release the album. Kelley Deal's label, Nice Records, issued a limited release of 1000 copies in 1998. Finally in 2001 Spitfire Records released the album with additional material included.





Monsters of Folk (the overachievers)
Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes), M. Ward (She & Him) & Jim James (My Morning Jacket)

Refusing to be confined by the genre found in the band's title, MoF straddle the line between classic and soft rock. Formed while each member's hugely successful bands (by independent standards) were on hiatus; they have been known to switch instrumental duties during live shows in true overachieving fashion. (Every time I look at the album cover of their self-titled 2009 release I think 'why is Brian Posehn a Monster of Folk?')






Them Crooked Vultures (the punks)
Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal), Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) & John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)

Because Josh Homme is too restless to stick with one musical outfit, Them Crooked Vultures brings together three of the most prolific figures in modern rock. The album is a great pallet cleanser to all the mainstream pop of late and Mind Eraser (No Chaser) is without a doubt one of the best rock songs of the year. You can listen to the album in its entirety and watch some very inane tour videos on their official site.





Broken Social Scene (the arty kids)
Many members including Brendan Canning (By Divine Right, Len), Kevin Drew (KC Accidental), Lisa Lobsinger (Reverie Sound Review) & John McEntire (Tortoise), former and occasional members include Elizabeth Powell (Land of Talk), Emily Haines (Metric) & Leslie Fiest (Fiest)

The collective voices in BSS reject the super group label due to the size of the band and the proclamation that everyone in the indie scene is involved with numerous projects at any given time. Mixing together elements of orchestral grandeur and indie rock, BSS broke through with their 2002 album You Forgot It In People. That album rightfully won the Juno for Best Alternative Album and includes choice cuts like Cause = Time and Anthem For a Seventeen Year Old Girl. Their latest, Forgiveness Rock Record, reached #1 in Canada, #34 in the US and has been shortlisted for the 2010 Polaris Prize.





The Highwaymen (the hicks)
Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson & Kris Kristofferson

When these four (then) living legends of country recorded and released the single Highwayman in 1985 they didn't have a name for the assemblage. After the song, a Jimmy Webb cover, rocketed to #1 the name of the group was a natural choice. Highwayman 2 would follow in 1990 and the last recording before Waylon Jennings' death was 1995's The Road Goes On Forever.





The Traveling Wilburys (the über-popular)
Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne (the Electric Light Orchestra), George Harrison & Roy Orbison

The name of this seminal super group came from the recording session for George Harrison's Cloud Nine. Whenever an error in recording would arise, Harrison would jokingly say to producer Jeff Lynne "we'll bury [Wilbury] 'em in the mix." The group came together when Roy Orbison, Harrison and Lynne traveled to Bob Dylan's house to record a B-side for Harrison's This Is Love. Harrison had left his guitar at Tom Petty's house and he returned from retrieving his axe with Petty in tow. Much like the Donnas and the Ramones, the band members adopted pseudonyms saying they were all half-bothers, sons of the fictional Charles Truscott Wilbury Sr. The original line up would be fractured by Orbison's death in 1988. As an homage to Orbison, when his vocals come up in the video for End of the Line a rocking chair cradling his guitar is shown. The album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Group or Duo in 1989. Handle With Care lived on to be covered by many artists, including Jenny Lewis with Ben Gibbard, M. Ward and Conor Oberst.





The Dead Weather (the goth kids)
Jack White (the White Stripes, the Raconteurs), Allison Mosshart (the Kills, Discount), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age) & Jack Lawrence (the Raconteurs, the Greenhornes)

Jack White was struck by bronchitis while on tour with the Raconteurs in summer 2008. White asked Allison Mosshart of the Kills, who were the opening band, to sit in on some of their songs. The chemistry was so stirring that White suggested they try their hand at collaborating along with White's house guest, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stoneage. The result, 2009's Horehound, shot to #6 on the Billboard hot 100. Their second album Sea of Cowards was released earlier this year. As a side note I had the pleasure of being backstage during the Dead Weather's set at Ottawa Bluesfest 2009, although I was only there to chase down Dan and Alexei of Handsome Furs for an interview.





Bastard (the drop outs)
Courtney Love, Patty Schemel (Hole), Louise Post (Veruca Salt) & Gina Crosley (Rockit Girl, Veruca Salt)

Post-Celebrity Skin, Courtney Love attempted to bring her dream of an all girl rock band to reality by merging members of Hole and Veruca Salt. Unfortunately Love's usual combative ways spelled disaster and demise for Bastard. Conflict between Gina Crosley and Love is cited as the main reason for the dissolution. After a few attempts at recording material the band imploded. Nashville Pussy bassist Corey Parks was also briefly involved. No video, recording or image of the band has ever been released. As Love sings in Celebrity Skin, "My name is might-have-been, my name is never was."

BT photo

BT photo

BT photo

Love & Micko Larkin performing as Hole July 9 2010, Love's 46th birthday, at Ottawa Bluesfest.

STORIES OF ART AS ALBUM COVERS

From photos that encapsulate the relationship between the photographer and the subject to art that was chosen because the musicians felt the artist captured exactly what they wanted to convey; here are the stories behind some great album covers. Covers that provoked discussion and inspired countless musicians, artists and music lovers.

Patti Smith – Horses (1975) -  photo by Robert Mapplethorpe
Controversial artist Robert Mapplethorpe’s photo is probably the most recognizable image of Smith. The two lived together as lovers in the Chelsea Hotel during the ‘70s. Smith encouraged Mapplethorpe to pursue photography and many of their collaborations became album covers for the Patti Smith Group. Mapplethorpe’s work was very diverse and included BDSM, pictures of children and floral still life. When the relationship ended, the two remained friends and collaborators. Mapplethorpe died of complications from AIDS in 1989. Smith’s memoir detailing their relationship, Just Kids, was released earlier this year.

  

Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (1988) - photo/painting by Gerhard Richter
Sonic Youth’s breakthrough album features a photo-realistic piece by German artist Gerhard Richter. Richter would usually create his work thorough a multi-step process of representations. Gehard would begin with a photo, usually his own work, which he would then project on to a canvas and trace the image exactly. He would end the process by painting the image to look almost identical to the photograph. Gehard was such a fan of Sonic Youth that he allowed the use of Kerze (Candle) at no charge. The original piece, which is over 7 meters in size, now hangs in Sonic Youth’s NYC studio.

  


Cream – Disraeli Gears (1967) & Wheels of Fire (1968) - designed by Martin Sharp
Australian Martin Sharp is best known for his freaky, psychedelic posters of Bob Dylan and Donovan. Sharp met Cream front man Eric Clapton while at the famous London nightclub the Speakeasy in the late ‘60s. Sharp told Clapton about a poem he had recently written and Clapton informed Sharp that he was looking for lyrics to accompany some new music. Sharp in turn wrote out the poem on a napkin and gave it to Clapton. This odd collaboration gave birth to the song “Tales of Brave Ulysses” the B-side of “Strange Brew”, appearing on Disraeli Gears which Sharp designed the cover for. The following year Sharp designed the Wheels of Fire cover and won the New York Art Director’s Prize for Best Album Design.

  

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King (1969) - painting by Barry Godber
The cover of In the Court of the Crimson King conjures up thoughts of madness, desperation and insanity. However disturbing the painting may be, what is more depressing is that the work found in In the Court of the Crimson King are the only compositions to ever be commercially produced by computer programmer Barry Godber. Godber died of a heart attack at age 24. The original work is now owned by King Crimson member Robert Fripp.
Fripp had this to say: "Peter [Sinfield] brought this painting in and the band loved it. I recently recovered the original from EG's offices because they kept it exposed to bright light, at the risk of ruining it, so I ended up removing it. The face on the outside is the Schizoid Man, and on the inside it's the Crimson King. If you cover the smiling face, the eyes reveal an incredible sadness. What can one add? It reflects the music."

  

Led Zeppelin IV (or Led Zeppelin’s fourth album or Led Zeppelin’s four symbols) (1971) - painting by unknown
Led Zeppelin IV is one of the best selling albums of all time having moved 37 million units world-wide and placed third on the best selling albums in the US list with 23 million. Jimmy Page has said that the inspiration behind the cover art was bringing over the city and country theme first explored on Led Zeppelin III.
“It represented the change in the balance which was going on. There was the old countryman and the blocks of flats being knocked down. It was just a way of saying that we should look after the earth, not rape and pillage it,” Page told Trouser Press.
The 19th century oil painting was purchased in Reading, Berkshire. The painting was then hung on the internal, papered wall of the partly demolished house for the photo.
Page has also stated regarding the meaning of the cover: “The cover was supposed to be something that was for other people to savor rather than for me to actually spell everything out, which would make the whole thing rather disappointing on that level of your own personal adventure into the music.”

Elastica - The Menace (2000) - photo by M.I.A.
After the resounding success of Elastica's 1995 debut came this less successful effort. Band leader Justine Frischmann sought out burgeoning London-based graffiti artist Maya Arulpragasam, M.I.A., to create the pastiche of lips you see below. M.I.A. documented the band's tour in support of the album and became fast friends with Peaches (Canadian-born Merrill Nisker) who was the opening act. Peaches introduced M.I.A. to the Roland MC-505 drum machine and encouraged her to experiment. With an Academy Award nom for Best Original Song and two Grammy noms, I'd say it was a push in the right direction. M.I.A. also directed the video for the single Mad Dog God Dam.

The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967) - painting by Andy Warhol
Perhaps the most recognizable album cover of all time. Early copies featured a slogan inviting the listener to “peel slowly and see” which would reveal a flesh coloured banana. These editions are now sought after collector’s items.