MUSIC NOTES
[The rock ' n ' roll bandwagon is on its way, and Russell Weinberger, our man in Davis, California, takes a look at this year's line-up. - Ken]
The fullblaze of summer now hints at its imminent arrival. And with the heat and dust of yet another dry California season comes the long-awaited arrival of Lollapalooza 1994. The new line-up may disappoint alternative-junkies looking for another fix of Pearl Jam before the world realizes they are, in fact, a pop band. Even a quick glance at this year's selections reveals a very real difference from previous Lollapaloozii. This cast is closer to the original intent of the all-day mega-concert. In its first conception, Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell wanted to offer a real barrage of new and different types of music. The first three concerts, though a true change of stadium pace, were really festivals of college rockers, with a dash of rap and R&B for flavor. This year, the organizers have something different planned:
MAINSTAGE
Smashing Pumpkins
Beastie Boys
George Clinton & P-Funk Allstars
The Breeders
A Tribe Called Quest
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
L7
Green Day
SECOND STAGE
(Check dates to find out who's taking the second stage in
your town)
Jul 1 - Aug 3 The Flaming LipsFor everyone wondering what to expect for their 30+ dollars, here's a brief overview:
Jul 1 - Aug 3 Verve
Ju 1 - July 8 The Souls of Mischief
Jul 1 - July 15 Rollerskate Skinny
Jul 1 - July 15 The Frogs
Jul 9 - Aug 3 Luscious Jackson
Jul 16 - Aug 3 Palace Songs
Jul 16 - July 24 Guided by Voices
Jul 25 - Aug 3 Girls Against Boys
Aug 4 - Sept 4 Stereolab
Aug 4 - Aug 11 Blast Off Country-Style
Aug 4 - Aug 18 Charlie Hunter Trio
Aug 4 - Aug 11 Fu-Schnickens
Aug 4 - Aug 11 Lambchop
Aug 12 - Sept 4 Shudder to Think
Aug 12 - Sept 4 The Boo Radleys
Aug 12 - Aug 18 King Kong
Aug 19 - Sept 4 The Pharcyde
Aug 19 - Sept 4 Shonen Knife
First, there's Green Day. This Berkeley, California-based band recently made it big with the release of Dookie, moving to the top of alternative and college charts all over the U.S. The band, however, is far from new. I remember seeing them for five bucks at the Gillman St Project in Berkeley when they had a hard edge and an attitude that wouldn't quit. Even then, when they were still figuring out how to play their instruments, they were a band with unmatched energy and a stage presence that brought crowds back week after week. Their new album, quite a bit tamer than their former works, is reminiscent of classic English power pop the likes of which hasn't been seen since the Buzzcocks.(It would probably be quite a bit more fun to see them in the closed, sweaty confines of a smokey club.)
Next comes L7, the all female hardcore band which has recently appeared in John Waters' latest movie, Serial Mom(under the nom du flique, Camel Lips) Definitely not for the timid, L7 takes up the slack where 45 Grave and The Slits left off. Their music is some of the strongest stuff around, complete with big nasty guitars, heavy bass lines, and spitfire drumbeats sure to send any general-admission crowd into a frenzy. Add to this the emergence of the Riot Grrrl movement, and it's easy to understand why L7 was chosen to fill the slot Babes In Toyland left behind last year.
Then, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds will take fill main stage with the sounds of doom and gloom that has made them legendary in underground circles. Cave, backed by Blixa Bargeld on guitar (of Einsturzende Neubauten fame) and the rest of the Bad Seeds combines gothic mystique with the lyrical story-telling styles of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits to produce a sound that is nonetheless unique. Featured in several Wim Wenders movies, including Wings of Desire, Cave's resonant baritone voice is both chilling and enthralling. This combined with a variety of instruments from violin to piano make his music some of the most diverse and varied around. More impressive is his range of subject matter which spans from tales of bar brawls to lost loves to diatribes on the sad state of the modern world. The Seeds' latest release, Let Love In, is a definitive "theme album" replete with a cynical sense of humor.
The tone changes yet again with A Tribe Called Quest, an smart act which combines intricate rap with jazzy rhythms and melodious harmonies. With the overwhelming success of their first album and their recently released second already on its way up the charts, the Tribe is proving itself a band whose unstoppable innovation has changed and influenced hip-hop as well.
Following them is The Breeders. Fronted by ex-Pixi Kim Deal, the Breeders' blend of psychedelia and punk have made them an MTV smash as well as a college radio favorite. The power and strength of this band make it difficult to accurately describe. However, if all you have heard is their hit single, "Cannonball," get ready for quite a bit more. Their repertoire includes several more traditional punk songs along with a cover of The Beatles' "Happiness is a Warm Gun" which is innovative enough to add another dimension to John Lennon's classic anthem to heroin.
There really isn't enough to be said for the next act. The founder of Parliament, Funkadelic and their various off shoots, George Clinton is the godfather of post- James Brown funk and, without a doubt, one of the most influential musicians of our time. Let's just say this: without this Clinton, there would be no Red Hot Chili Peppers, no Faith No More, and even Prince would be struggling for a musical identity.
The Beastie Boys started as a NYC hardcore act with little or no talent which tried rap out as a joke and has since become one of the biggest and most important hip-hop acts around. From their first album, the humorous Licensed to Ill , the Boys have come a long way in helping to redefine and reshape hip-hop. They are unique in that they have been able to continue to produce music that is wholly their own and still draw fans of every discriminating taste. They were, most importantly, one of the first hip-hop bands to actually play their instruments both on their album and on stage, replacing a drum machine with a live drummer, and using guitars instead of samples. Their next release, due May 31, promises to deliver more of the same with further innovations.
Headlining Lollapalooza is The Smashing Pumpkins, a Chicago-based psychedelic band whose haunting melodies and harmonies make them one of the most successful bands of their sort. Like Jane's Addiction, Smashing Pumpkins attract fans from heavy metal, alternative rock, and just about every other circle of music listeners. Their second, critically acclaimed release topped college charts and made them one of the premier bands of the '90s. Unfortunately, judging from interviews on MTV and in Rolling Stone, it looks as though this may be one of the last times they play live. At least they're likely to go out with a bang.
There you have it. Lollapalooza 1994 looks as if it may be the best yet, topping even the tremendous lineup of the first Lollapalooza in 1990. Definitely worth the money and who knows, they might even have the body-piercing booth again, and you can go home with a little permanent memento.
- Russell Weinberger, Davis, California, USA
