Samuel Izdat, Ted Nugent, The Detroit Music Awards and Cuba

I know this is last minute but Samuel Izdat, (aka Gabe Levine frontman of Takka Takka) will be playing Union Hall in Brooklyn this evening at 8pm. If I can get my energy level up and rid of this dang sinus headache then you all will see me there this evening with my camera in tow. It's ten dollars and 21 and over to get in. Union Hall is located at 702 Union Street Brooklyn. If your coming from Manhattan you can take the R train to the Union Street Station or the Q train to the DeKalb Avenue station.

Moving along! My very dear friend Diane who is a Detroit native, is back in her hometown this evening presenting an award at the Detroit Music Awards. The big performers of the evening at the Detroit Music Awards are the Amboy Dukes. The Amboy Dukes were Ted Nugent's first band and for all you kids who don't know who Ted Nugent is, he is often called "The Motor City Madman" he had a huge hit in the 70's with "Cat Scratch Fever", when Nugent played live in the 70's he wore a loin cloth and furry boots on stage and swung on stage on a cable ala Tarzan. In the 80's he was in a band called Damn Yankees. He is known as one of rock's best guitar players and he's also known for having very conservative political views and is very pro hunting, he is often seen on a lot of political chat shows talking about his views and his stance on hunting. Hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures of Diane presenting and one of her and the Motor City Madman!! Anyhow back to the Amboy Dukes, the only hit that they had was one of the best songs of the physcadelic era in my humble opinion called " The Journey to the Center of the Mind". Below is a clip of the Amboy Dukes performing " The Journey to the Center the Mind".



Something that the Nuge may not like, is that the Obama administration has been very open in realtions with Cuba. Pres. Obama is currently in Trinidad at the Summit of the Americas and has been eager to talk with new Cuban President Raul Castro in regards to freedom of the press, human rights, political prisoners and everything else. This past week Obama lifted travel restrictions to Cuban Americans who still have family who reside in Cuba. I bring this up cause, I've always been facinated by Cuban culture and no matter if you loathe or admire the guy you've got to admit that Fidel Castro is a facinating person and his rise to power is an interesting story. How this all relates to music is that a few years ago an amazing film came out called "Buena Vista Social Club" which is all about Cuban musicians. Check out a clip from the film below.

A NYC live music Saturday night......

If your in NYC this Saturday night and your looking to hear some really awesome music, chill with some really incredible DJ's and drink free beer and half price drinks...then you've gotta check out the Loose Nukes party at the Delancy in Manhattan this Saturday night 4/18. The poster says it all!



To hear the music of Free Blood and Sugar and Gold check out their myspace sites:

http://www.myspace.com/freeblood
http://www.myspace.com/sugarandgold

Check out the myspace sites for the DJ's for the night:
http://www.myspace.com/frenchhornrebellion
http://www.myspace.com/cantorarecords

Phil Spector found guilty of murder...

For all you guys who don't know your music history, Phil Spector was a very well known and well respected and very eccentric music producer who came to fame in the 1960's. His sound was referred to as the "Phil Spector Wall of Sound". Basically what the "Wall of Sound" was, was a dense, reverberant and layered sound, the sound was created by having a large number of guitarists perform the same parts in unison, Spector also added instruments that were used in classical music such as woodwinds, strings and brass to his music something that was never done before in rock music at that time, he then recorded everything using echo chamber. Phil Spector referred to his music as "a Wagnerian approach to rock and roll..little symphonies for the kids". The artists and bands that Phil Spector wrote for and produced were The Ronnettes, The Crystals, Ike and Tina Turner, The Righteous Brothers, Darlene Love and in later years he worked with The Beatles, The Ramones, George Harrison and John Lennon. And he also worked with a lot of the Brill Building song writers i.e. Carol King, Gerry Goffin, Elle Greenwich and Jeff Barry.




Besides music Spector also had a thing for guns and violence, Dee Dee Ramone always told the story of Spector putting a gun to his head during the recording of "End of the Century" and Ronnie Spector of the Ronnettes fame (who was married to Spector) talks about how he would threaten to kill her and kept her prisoner in their home during their marriage. And today Phil Spector was found guilty in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson who accompanied Phil Spector to his home after a night out in 2003.

Here is the article from Yahoo news with all the details:

Rock music producer Phil Spector was convicted Monday of second-degree murder in the shooting death of a film actress at his mansion six years ago, a verdict that will send him to prison for at least 18 years barring a successful appeal.A Superior Court jury returned the verdict after about 30 hours of deliberations. The jury had the option of choosing the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, but did not do so.
The panel also found Spector guilty of using a firearm in committing a crime.
Spector exhibited no reaction to the verdict. His attorney argued that he should remain free on bail pending the May 29 sentencing, but Judge Larry Paul Fidler remanded him to jail immediately.
Second-degree murder carries a penalty of 15 years to life in prison. The use-of-a-gun enhancement adds three, four or 10 years in prison, according to the district attorney's office.
Defense attorney Doron Weinberg said he believed the case was swayed by the judge's erroneous rulings, particularly one that allowed five women from Spector's past to testify. He said it would be the basis for appeal and a request for a new trial.
Spector's young wife, Rachelle, sobbed as the decision was announced. It was Spector's second trial. The first jury deadlocked 10-2, favoring conviction in 2007.
The 40-year-old Lana Clarkson, star of the 1985 cult film "Barbarian Queen," died of a gunshot fired in her mouth as she sat in the foyer of Spector's mansion in 2003. She met Spector only hours earlier at her job as a nightclub hostess.

To read the rest of the article click on the link below

http://new.music.yahoo.com/phil-spector/news/phil-spector-found-guilty-of-2nd-degree-murder--12176672

Below is a clip of the Ronettes performing one of the greatest pop songs in my humble opinion "Be My Baby" on "Shindig", which was kinda sorta like the 60's version of "TRL". Looking at this clip you'll see Amy Winehouse's hair and vocal inspiration. Enjoy!!