|
|
|
cover by nacrowe
click HERE for NUTMEG's latest streaming CLASSICAL-ISH radio show on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC where she presents a new playlist celebrating the joys of winter, so "bring your midwinter ennui to makerparkradio.nyc and we’ll be cozy."
don't forget that you can also access other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and DEER GOD RADIO here at our website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
0 Comments
photo manipulation by nacrowe
RICK BEATO is a trained engineer and producer of nominal fame, having mentored and produced minor bands in the 1990s, mostly out of his studio in ATLANTA, and before that was a instructor at ITHACA COLLEGE in upstate NEW YORK. nothing particularly noteworthy but he did make a living as an engineer and producer with CHRISTIAN artists from what i could find online.
however, what i find compelling about BEATO is his YOUTUBE series of videos called WHAT MAKES THIS SONG GREAT where he basically dissects popular music utilizing the stems from the original recording. it is super interesting because the guy gets into the weeds about MUSIC THEORY and it is completely wonky. i may only understand a third of what he's talking about technically, as i am not a trained musician, but what you come away with is the complexity and depth of thought involved with constructing compelling ROCK AND ROLL music. even songs by bands i thought i had a handle on (AC/DC, NIRVANA) are unwrapped and presented in a way where the tricks of PRODUCTION and SONG CRAFT are revealed. and example of such is how KURT COBAIN in terms of his singing voice will complete and alter chords that are evoked with the guitar, essentially creating haunting melodies that transcend their individual parts. you get the feeling that COBAIN did this innately, but its still cool to know that in technical terms what he did is of interest to scholars that have the ability to inspect his work on a purely compositional level. this series, along with WARREN HUART's related INSIDE THE SONG YOUTUBE series, gives you a deep dive into MUSIC THEORY and RECORDING TECHNIQUES within the context of specific songs, which is such a gift. its like learning MUSIC THEORY through osmosis and i am a fan. his actual engineering/production career not so much. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
the VICE subsidiary NOISEY which produces content on its YOUTUBE channel dedicated to largely underground aspects of global MUSICAL CULTURE did a deep dive a few years ago with their seven-part series NOLA: LIFE DEATH & HEAVY BLUES FROM THE BAYOU (NOISEY, 2014) into the origins and legacy of SLUDGE METAL and its LOUISIANA origins.
in essence this series investigated specifically that music of DOWN members and proud LOUISIANANS JIMMY BOWER (EYEHATEGOD), KIRK WINDSTEIN (CROWBAR), PEPPER KEENAN (CORROSION OF CONFORMITY), and PHIL ANSELMO (PANTERA, SUPERJOINT RITUAL) as well as members of ACID BATH and GOATWHORE among others. in essence these musicians were heavily influenced by their surroundings. rural living and laid back southern vocal affectations manifested in rhythm tempos that were decidedly relaxed and slower in cadence. this tempo shift is in direct opposition to the concurrent strains of THRASH METAL and DEATH METAL that took place in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. in case you find this a little jarring, its important to consider that JAZZ, another LOUSIANA contribution to the AMERICAN musical tradition, was rooted in the STORYVILLE red light district of NEW ORLEANS where musicians would shift their tempos to the rhythms of a brothel's occupants in lieu of securing a tip. SLUDGE METAL is a thick, brutal METAL sub-genre which traces its roots to bands like THE MELVINS (from rural WASHINGTON state) and particular BLACK SABBATH (famously from the industrial wasteland of the MIDLANDS in ENGLAND), but it is hard to argue that it found a true home in LOUISIANA. again, interesting to see how landscape, location and even linguistics impact art and music. when you consider that SLUDGE METAL has influenced the likes of the even more extreme and sonically stretched-out explorations of modern DRONE METAL and POST METAL which revel in the nuances and textures of space and distortion, it is intriguing to consider what spices have been added to that gumbo. who knows where its all heading next which is pretty exciting. in summation, this documentary is well-constructed and worthy of further investigation if you are so inclined. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i sought out and first read COMANDANTE: HUGO CHAVEZ'S VENEZUELA (PENGUIN, 2013) by GUARDIAN journalist RORY CARROLL shortly after learning i would be teaching in VENEZUELA while still a PEACE CORPS volunteer stationed in ALBANIA. it was an intriguing historical moment because by the time i arrived in august of 2013, former president HUGO CHAVEZ had only been dead for a least 6 months. over the next two years i bore witness to a country in sharp economic decline.
more like free fall. i lived in MATURIN in the east where most of the oil fields are. as an oil brat that grew up in NIGERIA an KUWAIT, i have some familiarity with the sometimes complicated nature of AMERICAN industry in foreign countries. CHAVEZ of course famously nationalized their oil industry and largely banished most oil companies from their reserves. this was seen domestically as a powerful move but crippled their prospects longterm as outside advice regarding technical expertise was now abandoned. when the price of oil dipped during my tenure out there, the effects were quick and painful and VENEZUELA has yet to rebound. in fact they are still in the midst of a humanitarian crisis that is largely the result of such shortsighted policies. but how did he come to rule? the book presents CHAVEZ as a figure whose power was seen in his braggadocious, confident demeanor, his military background and especially the fact that he was the very physical embodiment of the underclass of VENEZUELAN society, having originated in the rural LLANOS region. VENZUELA, much like the rest of SOUTH AMERICA, has a population that has its origins in EUROPEAN, NATIVE and AFRICAN bloodlines. this being the result of SPANISH conquest in the new world (PORTUGUESE with obvious respect to BRASIL). cultural, religious and linguistic traditions of the continent are profoundly influenced by centuries of EUROPEAN colonization, so unfortunately one carryover is preference for all things EUROPEAN. the experience of watching television in VENEZUELA is where you would be hard pressed to identify people of non-EUROPEAN descent shown in beauty pageants, soap operas, game shows or even news broadcasts. like many others in the region (COLOMBIA, BRASIL, etc.), the media is effectively white-washed. much like BARACK OBAMA (although diametrically dissimilar in terms of their politics), the power of CHAVEZ is in part inseparable from his being the physical embodiment of the unprivileged and underrepresented classes in society. reading this book i became aware of the narrative of his rise to power, which includes his imprisonment, election, attempted coup and reinstatement. i also grew to be aware of how he structured his public persona and cult of personality that still survives today. in essence he hitched his own to that of a tailored fiction surrounding that of SIMON BOLIVAR, by promoting one he promoted the other. CHAVEZ also create a new layer of bureaucracy between himself and powerful regional governors, whom he could scold and fire at will on his own television show ALO PRESIDENTE ("HELLO, MR. PRESIDENT"). in many ways he was like TRUMP before TRUMP. in essence this added layer of bureaucracy (more democracy!) allowed him to secure a buffer from any and all political fallout that resulted from his disastrous policies. luckily, i made friends that allowed me to stay in CARACAS and visit many of the landmarks mentioned in this book. in this sense it was infinitely helpful in giving me an understanding of the political climate and recent history i was now entering. where i thought it lacked was in how uncritical CARROLL presents the regime at times. maybe that is an unfair critique, but after living there and witnessing the toll bore on the people of VENEZUELA (whom i found generous, vivacious, energetic, resourceful, selfless and beautiful) in the wake of his death makes me most likely not the most objective observer in that respect. perhaps. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the conscious-expanding sounds of aural shaman JIMI HENDRIX! perfect for our 100TH EPISODE!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo by nacrowe
click HERE for the latest episode of THE NOWHERE FAST SHOW on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC as host TOM FERRIE presents an all 45RPM playlist!
past episodes of THE NOWHERE FAST SHOW as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like DEER GOD RADIO, MAKE HER SPACE, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
there has been a number of bands over the years that have been influenced by the sonic minimalism of THE WHITE STRIPES and the two person setup they popularized. i'm not saying they invented that format, but there is no doubt that other artists like DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979, THE BLACK KEYS and ROYAL BLOOD definitely took notice.
ROYAL BLOOD to my ears sound like a more polished version of the aforementioned (and previously profiled HERE) DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 with a similar BASS/DRUM/VOICE triumvirate of sonic assault as opposed to the GUITAR/DRUM/VOICE of THE WHITE STRIPES and THE BLACK KEYS. who knew a bass guitar with an octave pedal and cave man drumming sounded so HUUUUUUGE. definitely worth checking out. 
photo & text by nacrowe
when my father was in middle school he was tasked with completing a book report. my grandmother suggested THE GOOD EARTH (JOHN DAY COMPANY, 1931) by PEARL S. BUCK. a short time after submitting his paper, the nun who taught his class made a startling announcement to the class, "somebody in this room has read a damned book." all the children looked around at each other. my dad's name was called and he explained that it was his mother's suggestion. in true catholic school fashion they werent hearing any of it.
makes me wonder how people dont see the combination of the words "catholic" and "school" together as both oxymoronic. but that is a discussion for another time. the reason the church had a problem with THE GOOD EARTH was its depiction of concubines and extramarital relations which was a part of traditional CHINESE culture, especially with regards to those men who were succesful in gaining economic and political power. and the root of said power was the earth. when i read this book the first time years ago i was taken by its presentation of rural agrarian life in pre-revolution CHINA and how it was the women that who provided the uncelebrated labor and silent toil of the land that undergirded all claims to ascendent regional influence. it was them that provided value. the book showed how they were used as a resource, much like the land itself. in fact, it is the work of a woman, O-LAN, that provides the resources for the master of her house to purchase a concubine, LOTUS FLOWER. to western sensibilities it is highly reprehensible but this was commonplace in traditional CHINESE life. the book also presents an idea of femininity that is problematic. O-LAN is considered undesirable due to her rough features and unbound feet, which contrasts directly with LOTUS FLOWER's delicate features and bound feet. to be feminine is to be submissive and vulnerable in this context. it is interesting that they are both trapped, just at opposite ends of a rigid structure of oppression. reminds me of my time in ALBANIA when you would see these gorgeous women from the villages surrounding major cities making their way into the city center via public transportation. i learned during my time there that these women were undesirable because of a key feature: their hands. because they worked the fields and did manual labor their hands had developed callouses and the skin in their hands was rough, evidence of their hard work. every single time this was pointed out to me by an ALBANIAN colleague i would tell that they were insane. but that was the culture. men grew long nails on their pinky finger to signal the fact that they did not do manual labor as a status symbol. reminds me of THE GOOD EARTH in the sense that those who provide actual value by harnessing a connection to the earth, are in turn less valued themselves. having a sense of distance from the land is in this model a desired outcome, a false claim of a supposed supremacy over nature. that is not just the world of traditional CHINESE agrarian life, that is our modern world today. considering this book makes me thing of where our value really lies as a society. is it defined by our relationship with nature or our separation from such? just a thought. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
because the experiential nature of music is such an ephemeral and almost primitive phenomena, there is a tendency for listeners to pretty much take it for granted. as if music was always there. unlike filmmaking, the process of MUSIC PRODCTION is a bit of a mystery to the layperson, an almost alchemical process.
when i began consciously listening to PODCASTS almost ten years ago on a regular basis, the ones i was drawn to had a sense of playfulness with the platform itself. the sound design on something like NPR's RADIOLAB is so palpable and convincing that it is easy to be swept away into an alternate reality where you are swimming with red blood cells or strata of light waves. likewise the ongoing PODCAST SONG EXPLODER is another podcast with incredible sound design. it is a meta in that it is a podcast about sound, specifically how songs are constructed. podcaster HRISHIKESH HIRWAY basically deconstructs songs with the help of the artist down to their base elements and explains how the piece fit together. you get a real, visceral sense of the artistry and technical wizardry involved with modern music production and how such has enabled songwriters. its incredibly informative and because of its well-sequenced and thoughtful presentation, SONG EXPLODER makes you appreciate the process on a deep intuitive level. its is quite the experience and i recommend listening to the podcast for anyone interested in music production or with an interest in art. recently SONG EXPLODER expanded into a NETFLIX show but my preference is still the podcast. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
any discussion of MILES DAVIS is bound to be complicated as the man is an icon of 20th century western culture on par with ANDY WARHOL, IGOR STRAVINSKY ERNEST HEMINGWAY, JOHN LENNON or PABLO PICASSO. at the height of his powers, his music was just that transcendent and untouchable, yet ironically accessible and meaningful to the layperson.
the STANLEY NELSON JR-directed documentary MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL (FIRELIGHT, 2020) is a capable attempt at presenting his story, which itself is the story of AMERICA and all its enduring idealistic optimism and gut-wrenching failings. in DAVIS you have a supremely gifted musician who could hold his own with the best of the BEBOP era (i.e. CHARLIE PARKER and DIZZY GILLESPIE) yet made his mark as a composer and bandleader that reached his heights via creating space for collaborators to shine (GIL EVANS, JOHN COLTRANE, WAYNE SHORTER, HERBIE HANCOCK, etc). at the same time he was domineering and abusively violent to the women in his life. he forced his wife FRANCIS TAYLOR DAVIS to withdraw during rehearsals from the broadway debut of WEST SIDE STORY. think about that. he forced her because he thought her role was as a housewife and couldn't stand that others could appreciate her and give her attention. at the same time he celebrated her beauty by forcing COLUMBIA RECORDS to place a picture of his wife FRANCIS on various album covers (instead of white models). very interesting and totally contradictory. he was a deeply damaged person who utilized music, as the film argues, to relay a sense of vulnerability he couldnt present in real life. and that is where race comes into the picture as a major theme. for me the most compelling point of examination was how race intersected with his career. two particularly poignant moments are 1) his return from FRANCE after touring there in the mid 1940s and 2) getting bludgeoned by racist cops in NYC outside a venue bearing his name shortly after the release of KIND OF BLUE (COLUMBIA, 1959). with the former he experienced a level of respect and mutual admiration never received stateside. in PARIS he found himself speaking with the likes of JULIETTE GRECO, PABLO PICASSE, JEAN-PAUL SARTRE and others as equals. returning stateside left him depressed and ultimately into the warm embrace of heroin addiction. the idea that even after gaining the critical recognition and mass-audience admiration for his seminal record work, that he would be beat up in NYC for being black is just so depressing. it seems in the UNITED STATES that whatever your talents, in the end you are still judged by your skin tone. nothing has changed in the intervening years, seems with the advance of TRUMP that level of bigotry is only more out in the moment now. MILES DAVIS was flawed. severely so. but his music is renowned for its singular soothing voice which relays a way of being that seems possible yet just out of reach. it is the music of possibilities. he was an innovator that will be remembered as such, though by the likes of this film, it would seem if he were among us now he'd not be concerned with past accomplishments and accolades and be fully investigating and seeking out new challenges. with today's technology its interesting to think of what he could have achieved moving forward. BOOK REVIEW | "LET MY PEOPLE GO SURFING: THE EDUCATION OF A RELUCTANT BUSINESSMAN" BY YVON CHOUINARD2/15/2021 
photo & text by nacrowe
so im taking a course at the moment on SUPPLY CHAIN management and recently there was a focus in the text about how corporations have a decision matrix that includes shareholders, specifically the wider societal and environmental impact of their operations. LET MY PEOPLE GO SURFING: THE EDUCATION OF RELUCTANT BUSINESSMAN (PENGUIN, 2005) written by PATAGONIA founder YVON CHOUNINARD basically calls bullshit on that whole notion. he makes his position very clear that corporations were originally created and continually maintained to limit the liability of their actions on a finite global ecosystem. by definition their objective and reason for being is to create efficiencies within the SUPPLY CHAIN, PRODUCTION and DISTRIBUTION of products and maximize profit. full stop.
anything else is just marketing and corporate propaganda. which brings me to this interesting book about the history, philosophy and multi-pronged environmental efforts of the privately-owned benefit corporation PATAGONIA, INC and its multi-pronged in-house subsidiaries that produce everything from food, clothing to even surf boards. a cynic could argue that this book is a clever piece of propaganda aimed at convincing customers of the moral superiority of the PATAGONIA brand and its environmental efforts, which could justify the relatively high price of their products. for the record when i was a PEACE CORPS volunteer stationed in the bitterly cold northern mountainous region of ALBANIA bordering KOSOVO, i brought with me both shell jacket and a micro-puff jacket by the company that kept me warm. so if i have a bias, there it is. thats all i own by them and i still have both years later. but as company propaganda goes, this book is really less a hagiography of the founder and his company and more a manual about how to go about innovating a business in a way that makes business sense. to me that is the core of this book and its intent. if anything, CHOUNINARD is attempting to proselytize future entrepreneur's to consider the real cost of their company and consider how to make them more environmentally sustainable. the example provided repeatedly throughout this book (which comprehensively goes over everything from their company philosophy on PRODUCT DESIGN and PRODUCTION to DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING, HUMAN RESOURCING and MANAGEMENT among other topics) is the risky switch the company made to organic content in the mid 1990s. sourcing this material was more costly to the company and required more intensive labor on behalf of the farmers, but those initial costs proved profitable long term and exerted less strain on the environment (turns out not using all those industrial chemicals and pesticides makes the soil more healthy and more productive, who knew?). CHOUNINARD claims that the cost of innovating his SUPPLY CHAIN in the short term was immense but was a sound business decision long term, even if the consumer 1) didn't notice the switch and 2) according to marketing research didn't care. my takeaway from this book is that there is a hidden cost to SUPPLY CHAIN decisions that most companies, especially corporations working at scale, dont consider in part because they are not forced to. their goal is to be profitable. everything else is a externality. unfortunately this cycle of production and mindless consumerism as a means of insuring perpetual economic growth is a fantasy. worse yet it is suicide. CHOUNINARD doesnt claim to have all the answers. his company pollutes and creates waste, but the culture he created is fighting the good fight from the inside. it is attempting to setup the infrastructure to reduce waste by sourcing materials responsibly, seeking better work environments (including on-site child care), creating empowering specialized programs for workers of foreign mills and factories and instituting policies such as allowing customers to return long-worn products for repair. the list goes on. probably most celebrated is their 1% FOR THE PLANET commitment whereby they pledged 1% of total sales to preservation and restoration of the environment. this is done through contributions to small local advocacy groups, not institutionalized groups and foundations which large overhead. they have committed nearly $90 million over the course of the company's history. even if you are a cynic, that type of putting your money where your mouth is makes you take notice and they are encouraging others to make a stand and joing the effort. so in essence this book is not CHOUNINARD celebrating his efforts, it is him providing context and concrete strategies for his competitors to do the same. which is innately honorable. so kudos for him i just dont think corporate AMERICA is going to change. ever. the efforts and contents of this book is outside their mindset. outside their interest. we are a planet of finite resources and they will suck it dry like the vampires they are. we are all doomed. 
"DEER GOD RADIO 114: GREG KURSTIN PRODUCTION" LIVE TONIGHT AT 8PM EST ON MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC2/14/2021 
paradies by nacrowe
join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC focused on the incredibly successful music production career of GREG KURSTIN.
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
covers by nacrowe
click HERE for the latest episode of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC where Reed and Vince present a new playlist of from an undisclosed BROOKLYN location for the first time in months.
as always, you can access all past episodes of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW via the DEER GOD website as well as those of MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, DEER GOD RADIO and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
if there is one thing i love its musicians that bring the FUNK. for whatever reason this hasn't been a big concern in music outside of HIP HOP and DANCE music for a long time. i don't get it. maybe artists think that somehow making your rhythms sonically adventurous and unpredictable and, you know, fun to listen to makes them less serious? again i don't get it.
but thank god there is CHROMEO, a CANANDIAN duo who are not afraid to bring the FUNK in all its variations during its 70s and 80s heyday. not that they are retro or looking back to recapture a moment. to my ears they sound like right now, or at least a sound that should be mimicked moving forward. great hooks, great songs, great production. cannot push this band any harder. definitely check them out. 
cover by nacrowe
click HERE for NUTMEG's latest streaming CLASSICAL-ISH radio show on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC as she presents an optimistic new playlist or she put it, "I’m playing everything from Béla Bártók and Hyacinthe Jadin to Janelle Monae, Angélica Negrón, Mexican romantic string quartets and Depeche Mode coz I dunno. New world and hope."
don't forget that you can also access other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and DEER GOD RADIO here at our website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
NULLE PART AILLEURS, translated in english as NOWHERE ELSE, was a talk show on FRENCH channel CANAL+ from roughly 1987 to 2001. as part of the program at times there would be musical guests and the footage that has leaked onto the internet from english-speaking bands over the years is quite remarkable.
impassioned, well-mixed performances by the likes of PORTISHEAD, NIRVANA, OASIS, AT THE DRIVE-IN, MASSIVE ATTACK, DEFTONES, A PERFECT CIRCLE, GARBAGE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS and countless others can be view below. enjoy. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
the no frills documentary MY CAREER AS A JERK (WE GOT POWER FILMS, 2012) is very much a basic run through of the career of HARDCORE legends THE CIRCLE JERKS with a focus on their wild, kinetic frontman KEITH MORRIS. included are grainy live performance footage from nearly every incarnation of the band as well as interviews with MORRIS and past CIRCLE JERKS bandmates GREG HETSON, LUCKY LEHRER, EARL LIBERTY and ZANDER SCHLOSS as well as contemporaries of the 80s HARDCORE scene like HENRY ROLLINS (BLACK FLAG), J MASCIS (DEEP WOUND, DINOSAUR JR), BRIAN BAKER (MINOR THREAT, DAG NASTY) and GREG GRAFFIN (BAD RELIGION).
i dont want to say that this film was a cash grab, but in terms of its editing and overall narrative cohesion it is a bit uneven. at no point did i get a sense of what made them special relative to their peers or their contributions to the 80s HARDCORE scene other than that they existed. instead we are given a behind the scenes at tensions within the band and the immense risk involved in maintaining a HARDCORE band longterm. that was my big takeaway at least. in a fluid musical scene in which its members prided themselves on being spontaneous and in the moment, any type of longevity in such a combustible environment with their credibility still intact is an accomplishment in and of itself. maybe the point of this film was to answer fans why a CIRCLE JERKS reunion in the 2010s was not in the cards as MORRIS was very much pursuing his work in OFF!, which very much stands up to his catalogue with gusto. if you are completist than this film is worth your time, otherwise i would implore you to consider reading MORRIS' stellar MY DAMAGE: THE STORY OF A PUNK ROCK SURVIVOR (DA CAPO, 2016) memoir instead (review linked HERE). 
photo & text by nacrowe
for all its posturing, METAL is a pretty conservative genre. i remember going to OZZFEST more than 20 years ago in 1999 and first witnessing not just live METAL bands, but the crowds they drew. im not gonna lie, it was all pretty intimidating as a teenager. there was this bullshit macho culture that informed nearly every aspect of the concert experience from how the bands reacted with the crowd and the crowd to one another. to date my least favorite aspect of METAL in general is the whole misogynist "show us your tits" culture that thankfully is starting to die out. i remember when walking around the venue how uninviting this event must have felt towards 1) women 2) gay men and 3) all rational humans.
obviously the almighty ROB HALFORD of BRITISH NWOBHM legends JUDAS PRIEST is the most famous homosexual in METAL history (that we know of). his memoir CONFESS (HACHETTE, 2020) is his recounting of his journey from the ENGLISH BLACK COUNTRY to becoming the preeminent METAL GOD that he has been for more than five decades. arguably only BLACK SABBATH and METALLICA have been as institutionally well-regarded and celebrated in METAL as JUDAS PRIEST. which makes his coming out as a HOMOSEXUAL that much more courageous, especially given the widespread conservatism elements within the METAL community. that journey is described in detail and centers around HALFORD feeling entrapped by his SEXUALITY for a good portion of his adult life. for me it is that sense of repression, claustrophobia and inability to fully express oneself for fear of retribution, both against oneself and those he cares about (i.e. family and his band), that serves as the crux of this memoir and makes it very unique. what is interesting is how once he outed himself during an MTV interview, his family and fans (for the most part) all stood by and accepted him. JUDAS PRIEST had known for years and were always a steadfast in their support of one another. perhaps my initial reservations about the METAL community back in 1999 were wrong, maybe not. another aspect i really appreciated about this memoir was HALFORD's personal touch as a wrier, routinely utilizing BRUMMIE dialect and turns-of-phrase which gave the language a decidedly BLACK COUNTRY flavor. it is obvious 1) that he wrote this memoir and 2) his pride in his background as someone from the WEST MIDLANDS in ENGLAND, much like predecessors in BLACK SABBATH. oftentimes when artists utilize ghost writers the writing takes on a more formal tone that often doesn't gel with the public persona of the artist. the fact that HALFORD unapologetically gushes about decidedly un-METAL subjects like CILLA BLACK, MADONNA, QUEEN ELIZABETH II or even LADY GAGA makes this book feel all the more personal, which i enjoyed. the only downside to such was that certain episodes in his life were brought up and then summarily passed over quickly, as if there was a checklist of events to get through. i understand that as a gay man, HALFORD wanted to stay away from wading too deep in cliches such as the misery and depth of pain associated with the gay community during the 1980s when conservative governments lead by RONALD REAGAN and MARGARET THATCHER largely ignored the AIDS epidemic. this topic of self-hatred brought on by an unempathetic culture surrounding LGBTQIA issues has been fodder for plays, films and tv shows for decades now. i also understand he didn't want to delve into politics, consistently mentioning that he wasnt political by nature. unfortunately his identity as a gay man made him political and not by choice. for me that was a missed opportunity. i would have loved to learn his feelings about such but i understand and respect his decision not to delve into that topic. all in all this was a very enjoyable memoir from a singular artist with a unique background that hopefully moving forward will become less so. one can only hope that the METAL community, like all aspects of society, progresses towards a more inclusive and empathetic ideal. one where people dont care about one's ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity and so on. honestly, when i hear ROB HALFORD sing, i just think of how brutal JUDAS PRIEST are and how badass they sound, like freight train of unadulterated METAL. in JUDAS PRIEST i hear the twin guitar onslaughts of SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD and early METALLICA as well as the gymnastic vocals of DEVIN TOWNSEND and PERRY FARRELL. his sexuality never really comes into view, although now undoubtedly i'll never hear "JAWBREAKER" the same way again. cant believe i didnt see that one in retrospect, ive definitely got another thing coming. 
photo by nacrowe
click HERE for the latest episode of THE NOWHERE FAST SHOW on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC as host TOM FERRIE presents a playlist in celebration of the work and legacy of JOE STRUMMER on INTERNATIONAL CLASH DAY!
past episodes of THE NOWHERE FAST SHOW as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like DEER GOD RADIO, MAKE HER SPACE, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
covers by nacrowe
click HERE for the latest episode of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC where Reed and Vince present a new playlist of electronic music and discuss the finer points of age appropriate attire.
as always, you can access all past episodes of THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW via the DEER GOD website as well as those of MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, DEER GOD RADIO and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
|
February 2021
All
|
