the Rock Report

Okay … most of the stuff you see here is about good, solid oldies from the late Fifties and Sixties (I mean, music … though it could include my ex-in-laws, I guess …).
But, as both of you readers know, I dig a lot of non-bean sounds, and one of the best that I’ve heard lately hails from Minnesota … home of the Great Gary B. …
The four guys that make up Tonic Sol-Fa do a dynamite job in showing audiences what true vocal music is. Not only do they have a strong set, great onstage personalities that make each show fun, but they explore everything from madrigals to doo-wop.

Mark McGowan, Greg Bannwarth, Shaun Johnson, and Jared Dove have been together for ten years, putting together some of the best a cappella harmony this side of that side and more: They can also emulate guitar, drums, bass, whatever … strictly with their voices! A true flashback to the Golden Era of the Gullet (ie, doo-wop). They’re at-home with whatever audience they play for … whether it’s an auditorium full of serious adults or a school gym full of third-graders … and give every performance 100% … nothing less!

Minnesota is home to some of the greatest musicians, wrestlers, football teams and people … and now they’ve got four guys who have taken music — I’m talkin’ pure music, people .– wrapped their vocal cords around it, and come up with something really refreshing, different (sounds like a cola commercial, doesn’t it?), rhythmic and soulful. If you haven’t had the chance to hear them sol fa, then grab a tonic at their website, get a clip or CD of them, and enjoy …

Keep on rockin’, and I’ll see ya on the flip side …

A few post-Grammy notes:

• The big winners for the night were the “Dixie Chicks.” The DIXIE Chicks?!? These three gals don’t even get the airplay they once had … many Southern radio stations are still pissed because — God forgive ‘em — they had the unmitigated gall to lay some smack on the radio queen herself, REBA! Anyway, their attitudes aren’t exactly fan-friendly, and one of ‘em had her hair pulled back so tightly that her eyeballs were almost in her ears!
• The tremendous R&B package that included Smokey and Lionel was priceless! Though the Miracle Man has a few cracks in that fantastic falsetto (hey … he’s gettin’ up there … but ya can’t deny the man’s still-hypnotic eyes!) , the dude is still more soulful than a houseful of today’s acts that claim a stake in the R&B contemp world! And Lionel, of course, always sounds great.
• John Legend. Okay, given … the guy can sing! But, I swear, if I hear “You’re Beautiful” one more time over those brassy supermarket soundsystems, I’m gonna pull them out, wire-by-wire! It’s overplay, which leads to overKILL! Still, John’s got a great octave range, class delivery, and should have a good career ahead of him …
• One of the purtiest li’l fillies this side’a Oka Homa, Carrie Underwood, did a great job of covering the late Bob Wills’ “San Antonio Rose” (and she did it perfectly!) as well as the Eagles’ “Desperado”, but I still couldn’t help thinking that Jennifer Weatherly could’ve done better. Maybe I’m a leeeeeeeeetle biased, but I kept imagining it was her onstage with the great Johnny Gimble (though, natch, Willy could’ve outplayed ‘em all!). She certainly deserves the shot!
• Was it just me, or did it seem like the Red Hot Chili Peppers were missing something? Or someone? Still, they did a good job …
• Mary J. Blige. Need I say more?? Especially the spot with Ludacris, when they did a song honoring abused children … a special cause of this bird. The children who came on with the lighted candles hit the heart big-time! Hope that song goes platinum!
• The fact that the Grammys are backing a big “music in schools” program, and is trying to get Congress to allocate more money for it, is inspiring. We should all contribute to that cause (Eddie Van Halen, Todd Rundgren and even Macca himself are supporters of it!)
• There’s definitely a spot in the rock world for Rascal Flatts after their ass-kicking renditions of “Hotel California” and, especially (and with Ms. Underwood) “Life In The Fast Lane.” Boys, think about it!
• But the most amazing moment came when, as the tributes to legends passed during 2006 concluded with a young dancer in front of a vid of James Brown, the lights dimmed, a single spotlight came up to show Mr. Brown’s stagehand slowly coming up to the microphone with that signature cape (the one he’d put around Mr. Brown when he’d “collapse” onstage) … hanging it reverently over the mic … then the screen faded to black. Awesome. The Eagle/Relic had watery eyes at that one (and it wasn’t due to allergies!)

In all, a good show. Though not voted on by the public, per se (we did have a hand in it by buying the CDs, though), it all came out pretty nicely … and on time!
Now … a quick update:
KAYLAN & CO. HEAD TO ASHLAND: For you in the Ashland, Ky. area who tune in to this station each week, I’ve just gotten word that the legendary TURTLES will be heading down the pike to hit the “Summer Motion” stage this … well, this summer! Now, you’ve seen some great “oldies” acts gracing the riverside stage over the years, but … trust me: You ain’t been really entertained until you’ve seen Flo & Eddie hit the mikes with Joel, Joe, Don and Benjy! (And, kids, if we’re really good, maybe they’ll play one of the Relic’s favorites, Makin’ My Mind Up!)

Anyway, everybody keep rockin’, and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

While watching Whose Line Is It, Anyway? (one of the most hilarious shows on TV … even if it is in syndication! Watch it on ABC Family. Check your local listings …), I caught a game called “Song Titles”. In it, Ryan, Wayne, Colin and Kathy-or-Chip-or-Greg-or-Jeff-or-Brad would have to do a skit, speaking to each other in only song titles.

Well, it inspired me to try this:

Make a short storyline using titles from: Harry James, Kris Kristofferson, Hilary Duff, The Dave Clark Five, Godsmack, Patsy Cline, E L O, The Animals, Marvin Gaye, Adam Faith, The Who, The Beatles, John Mellencamp, Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond, Chad and Jeremy, the Backstreet Boys, Aerosmith, Magnetic Fields, the Lucksmiths, Tony Bennett, Don Williams, Led Zeppelin, George Strait and the Hollies.

What’d I get?

Two guys talking. One’s down on his luck, evidently:

“I’m Always Chasing Rainbows. Why Me?”
“Why Not?”
“Because”
“Why?”
“I Fall To Pieces”
“Do Ya”?
“Oh, Yeah”!
(at this point, another guy butts in)
“What’s Going On”?
2nd guy: “I Just Don’t Know!”
1st guy: “Who Are You?”
3rd: “I Am The Walrus”
1st: “Uh-huh”
2nd: “Ain’t No Way”!
3rd:”I Am, I Said”!
2nd: “What Do You Want?”
3rd:”I Wanna Be With You”
1st: “Dream On”
2nd: “Get Lost!”
2nd: (to 1st, when 3rd leaves) “Where Were We?”
1st: “Who Cares?”
2nd: “I Care”!
1st: “Thank You”
2nd: “Go On” …
1st: “I’m Always Chasing Rainbows”
2nd: (sighs) “Here We Go Again!”

Okay … this six-inches-plus of snow outside has kept me grounded, and I’ve got time on my hands (maybe, er, “Too Much Time on My Hands”?)
Still, try this little gig yourself, and see whatcha come up with.
ONE MORE THING:
A quick plug for the best a capella group to come down the pike since the 1850’s … an entertaining, totally captivating foursome from Viking territory (I’m talkin’ Minnesota here … are there any other Vikings??). The group’s called Tonic Solfa, and, friends, if you want yer music straight-up, no frills or plugs, amps or vamps, ya got it here! And their stage act is as smooth and warm as their musical set! Check ‘em out.

Hold on … I think it’s thawing now. At least I thawt I thaw a thaw … be back next go-round … hold this page ’til I get back …