In yesterday’s "New York Times" there’s a story by a Romney compatriot rationalizing the benefit to society of the super-rich. Motivated by wealth, they’re driving efficiency that benefits us all. Or so he says. But one thing’s for sure, those with opportunity, those with choice, want to get rich.

So if you went to an Ivy League school, you go into banking.

Or if you went to Stanford, you go into tech.

And the great unwashed masses go into music.

For a minute there, the highly educated went into music too. On the business side. They developed Napster and other platforms that the rights holders decimated to their detriment. Talk about winning the battle but losing the war… But the end result is no one with a brain is going to work in music. Innovation has been squeezed out. It’s all about endless turf wars, trying to protect what you already have.

As for the long odds of making it as an artist…

The elite didn’t sweat over their SATs to fight that war, that’s almost as stupid as wanting to become an actor.

So the mediocre and the dim have filled the void in music. It’s hard to make a serious buck, but with no c.v., it’s their only opportunity. And they believe in playing the game. Which is why they sell out to corporations and emit not a contrary peep. They’re just not secure enough in their status to do so.

Our only hope is with the disenfranchised, the minorities and the art kids.

You know the minorities… Gays, African-Americans. You know why innovation in the arts always comes from them? Because they’re closed out of traditional opportunities and their baseline is so low that they’ve got nothing to lose, they’ll take chances. Whereas the lower middle class denizens now dominating mainstream music won’t. They don’t want to slide down the pole even further.

And the art kids were always outcasts. They’re never going to be truly embraced by the mainstream, so they’re comfortable in being themselves.

They’re our only hope for now. The minorities and the art kids.

Forget everybody else. They didn’t have the perseverance and the smarts to play in the educational game, they jumped into the big pool of music and they’ve muddied the water and ultimately confused all of us.

The only hope of righting the wrongs of America is art. And music is the most potent art form. If you’re not challenging convention, if you’re not taking risks, you’re a sideshow, you don’t count. Whether it be Justin Bieber, Jon Bon Jovi or the ancient classic rock acts. They may generate revenue, but when it comes to ideas, they’re bankrupt.

"Romney’s Former Bain Partner Makes a Case for Inequality"

From: Peter Frampton
Subject: Re-Rhinofy/I Wanna Go To The Sun

Dear Bob,

I am verklempt you would choose this track. It is one of which I am very proud. Nicky Hopkins was a dear friend and piano playing genius! I had the privilege to play guitar on two of Nicky’s solo albums while he returned the favor and played on a few of mine. When I hear Joe Cocker singing, "You Are So Beautiful", I always have to pull over, stop the car and turn the radio all the way up. It’s a duet really because that is Nicky playing the amazingly moving piano part.

My eyes were constantly glued to his hands as he played. And goose bumps would always appear on my arms. He was the master of his own unique style with a feel, a choice of notes and a touch that could only come from the depths if his soul.

My limited piano playing has always been inspired by Nicky. It was a piano lesson for me every time we played together. Nicky did play on another track on the, "Somethin’s Happening", album but it is actually yours truly playing the piano on, "I Wanna Go To The Sun". Your mistaken identity is an incredible compliment. I really miss dear Nicky.

Peter

From: Paul Thorn
Subject: Fm Paul Thorn, thanks

Hi Bob,

Thank you so much for the kind words about my cover of Elvin’s tune. I’ve known him for several years now and I’ll always remember the first time I heard him play it. We were sitting on his back porch overlooking his amazing garden. He picked up his Gibson 335 and said "Tell me what you think about this song I wrote." I was blown away, it just killed me. I’m thrilled to have him play guitar on the track, his solo really pushes it over the top. I stop by for a visit when we’re touring in CA and he always gives me a jar of his homemade kiwi jelly. That’s a good thing. He’s a real sweetheart.

I smile when I read your comments about the biz, sometimes I feel like your poster child. In 1999, after a short stint with A&M, I recorded my first independent release Ain’t Love Strange, pressed 1000 copies, started a website and jumped in the deep end of the indy pool before there were too many of us around. I hit with road without a map and luckily landed solo opening slots for Jeff Beck, Richard Thompson, Sting, Bonnie Raitt, John Prine and learned a couple of things real quick: Go straight to the merch table immediately after my show, sign every CD, shake every hand and cultivate the email list. As simple as this sounds it was the most important thing I did early on – connecting with fans and then stay in touch. It continues to pay dividends and I’m grateful for everyone of them. After a string of self penned releases I’m taking a left turn to cut a cover record just because I wanted to. My fans are cheering me on every step of the way, we’re in this together. How cool is that?

I’m truly blessed. The tour dates keep coming in, I make records I’m proud of, and I’m surrounded by a band that makes me look better than I deserve every night. They’re not only great musicians they’re my best friends. We keep everything in house and life is good.

Here’s a streaming link for the new project:

http://www.paulthorn.com/wth/listen.html

And…the video that just went up of Elvin’s tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HulJhHWTBTo

Hope to see you down the road.

Paul Thorn

From: Colin Hay
Subject: Re: How Do You Become Indispensable?

Hello Bob,

Great piece, the thought of touring across this vast land without Stern in the car is, well it’s unthinkable.

One can only hope that he is as addicted to talking on the radio, as much as we are to listening.

Colin

In a couple of years Howard Stern is gonna retire from the radio and I don’t know what I’m gonna do with myself.

Hi.

I was just driving down Sunset Boulevard in the Palisades and the road was closed. An SUV had jumped the guardrail and ended up on its side. Kind of like NASCAR, but imagine it playing out in your own backyard as opposed to the brickyard. After waiting for a few minutes everybody started pulling a u-turn.

So I did too.

And knowing I was in for the duration, I got rid of the music and tuned in Howard Stern. His guest was Jay-Z.

Jay-Z has never been properly explained by the mainstream media. They’ve been respectful, they’ve been sycophantic, but they’ve never been honest and understanding. You never get the idea the reporter was hanging with the rapper, maybe smoking a blunt, and having the conversation you do with your buddies.

But Howard was.

He got Jay to talk about his dad. And dealing crack. And being black. Jay quoted Biggie Smalls, I think, saying if you’re black you’re born guilty.

Imagine carrying that around on your back.

And when Howard asked Jay if he ever felt inadequate hanging with Oprah or Warren Buffett, Jay said the only thing that separated himself from Buffett and his bridge-playing compatriot Bill Gates was opportunity.

He didn’t get any.

This was riveting radio. Especially when Jay told the story of "99 Problems". Being stopped for driving while black, but unbeknownst to the copper, the car was full of crack. That’ll give you some perspective. Whatever’s going on in your domestic life suddenly doesn’t matter.

Turns out the drug-sniffing dogs were unavailable and Jay skated.

Whew!

We live in a sell nation. Everybody’s become a brand and is forcing themselves down our throats. Just give me some time, listen to my music, help a brother out.

But this just doesn’t work. In an era where choices are seemingly infinite we only care for that very narrow spectrum of greatness which we truly deem to be indispensable.

I’m in my car getting sad. I doubt Howard will re-up with Sirius XM. Maybe he’ll turn "America’s Got Talent" into an interview show. And I started contemplating a world without Stern.

And it was very empty.

And my goal is not to convince you to feel the same way. Only to point out that you have your own indispensable artists.

They call these people stars.

How do you become one?

There are tons of people who will take your money trying to explain how. But to really be indispensable, you have to have vision, and venture out into a wilderness only you inhabit, hoping someone back in the city will get the message and spread the word.

And it’s lonely out there. What’s worse, it takes you time to find your voice.

But when you do…

We’ve got all the time in the world for you. We’ll buy all your records, see all your shows.

We can’t live without you.

"I Wanna Go To The Sun"
Peter Frampton

I was such a fan that I bought the album this came from upon release…

And was disappointed.

Frampton was going in the wrong direction. To the point where I didn’t purchased the follow-up, "Frampton", which was a complete return to form, until after the legendary live album.

And there’s a take of "I Wanna Go To The Sun" on the live album, I’m including it, but many people have never heard the original, and you should, for the piano part.

It’s so soulful!

Anybody can play the notes, but can you make the instrument sing, do you have the music in you, can you transmit this sound to the listener?

For the record, that piano is played by Nicky Hopkins, keyboardist extraordinaire, one of the few session men known by everybody back in the day, but forgotten in the modern era.

He should not be.

Furthermore, "I Wanna Go To The Sun" includes the priceless, unforgettable line:

Music is my food in life, don’t take it away!

"Gasoline Alley"
Rod Stewart

Imagine dropping the needle on this for the very first time…

I was living in the wilds of Vermont, there was no radio other than the execrable college station, I read about Rod Stewart in "Rolling Stone" and ordered this album. This is the opening cut. Maybe you can picture my jaw dropping when I heard Rod’s voice!

I couldn’t believe it. This was the guy they were trumpeting?

Forget the modern peacock singing the songs from before you were born, "Gasoline Alley" is the essence, both the album and the song. This became my favorite record, I ordered a poster, put it on my dorm room wall and was constantly asked, WHO’S THAT?

In a matter of months, everybody knew.

He was just that good.

And his own compositions are best.

Be sure to listen to the very end, when Rod amps it up a bit, when the emotion is dripping from the track…

And if I’m called away and it’s my turn to go
Should the blood run cold in my veins
Just one favor I’ll be asking of you
Don’t bury me here, it’s too cold
Take me back, carry me back
Down to gasoline alley where I started from
Take me back, won’t you carry me home
Down to gasoline alley where I started from

We’ve all got roots. We may cover them up, but inside we know. They can’t be denied. And on some level, that’s where we’re most comfortable. Where do you want to be buried?

And hang in there for the outro… Ronnie Wood was never better than he was with Rod.

"The Wall Street Shuffle"
10cc

This is not even my favorite track on "Sheet Music", that’s "Somewhere In Hollywood", but this was the cut that got airplay, this is the cut that record nerds know.

Think about this. A heavy riff, incisive, interesting lyrics and a beautiful vocal and great bridge.

This was just too smart for dumb America.

But it’s just as good today.

Oh, Howard Hughes
Did your money make you better?

That’s the difference between the seventies and today. Forty years ago, we would have emphatically said NO! Today, everybody says YES! Today money trumps everything, you cannot criticize that which is extremely profitable, those who are rich. And you wonder why our culture is so empty…

"Johnny’s Garden"
Stephen Stills/Manassas

Somehow the tide turned on Stephen Stills, his second solo album was not as good as the first, public opinion began to sour. Then, as if to prove he was the most talented guy in L.A., he formed this big band and was still overlooked.

But the initial double Manassas album was SPECTACULAR!

It’s one of those few two album sets without filler. And if you want to be impressed, listen to the fourth side, with the extended workouts, that’s massive playing.

But this is my favorite cut of the set.

Funny to think this almost folk music dominated way back when. Not only Stills and his compatriots Crosby and Nash, but Joni Mitchell and so many more.

Listening makes you want to run out and buy this specific guitar, what a sound!

But that’s not all. There’s the playing, but there’s also the singing and the changes. And the lyrics.

There’s a place
I can get to
Where I’m safe
From the city blues
And it’s green
And it’s quiet
Only trouble was
I had to buy it

Ah, there’s a little seventies insight for you. Being a rock star just gave you better vision. The masses were all in it together, but those who climbed above saw that it was a dirty, dog eat dog world. That you had to pay for your solace.

Imagine hearing this on vinyl, on a seventies stereo. HEAVEN!

"Jesus Just Left Chicago"
ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons is one of the few musicians whose rep has grown as the years have passed by.

Guitarslingers are supposed to come from the U.K. Or maybe New York or L.A. Even Chicago.

But not down under, from the heat of the independent state of Texas.

This band locks into a groove and won’t let it go. It’s stronger than heroin, you get hooked and can’t stop listening. Sure, it’s plodding, it sounds like nothing special, we’re trained to look for Yngwie Malmsteen, someone who can dazzle us. But true musicians know it’s all about the pocket.

And that’s true of so much in life. It’s not about sex with the girl in the magazine, but the one you do it with every night, your regular girl. You know each other’s preferences, you’re comfortable, you’re relaxed. It’s not about renting a Ferrari, but driving your own iron, right after a tune-up, when you’re one with the car. It’s the crack of the bat, it’s an In-N-Out burger, it’s a shot of Jack Daniel’s…it’s not about exotica, but getting it just right.

That’s what ZZ Top specialized in, still does.

So crank this up. If you get distortion, you need new speakers. With giant cones and enough watts to pump this ooze throughout your house. Squeezing out all that bugs you, that is not right.

And, for the record, Jesus is concert promoter extraordinaire Don Fox. He left Chicago for New Orleans, he was an integral part of ZZ Top’s success.

"The Waiting"
Linda Ronstadt

Yes, yes, the Tom Petty song. But don’t wince, don’t skip over it, it’s the same groove but slowed down and a bit more quiet, more is revealed. Petty’s take is a tear. Linda’s rendition is a short story.

And if Linda’s vocal doesn’t make you want to screw her, you’re gay. She radiates such confidence, such attitude, you can understand why everybody needed to get closer. Good-looking women are a dime a dozen. But add in sassiness and talent and the result is IRRESISTIBLE!

Line up any young singer alive. From Grace Potter to Miranda Lambert to all those with the powerful pipes on TV. I guarantee you they’d all be afraid to take the stage after Linda Ronstadt, she’d blow them all away.

Aretha Franklin has got her endless victory lap, why can’t Linda Ronstadt have hers? She was just as big a star and neither of them wrote their own material. Maybe Aretha’s got to invite Linda up on stage.

Then there’s the political thing. Is that what you want for a spouse, a Stepford Wife? An airhead who looks good but has nothing to say? We want our companions to be positively three-dimensional.

As for the weight gain… How do you look? Will you only be interested if she slims down and gets a facelift? Is that what you’re gonna do? Wow, your life must be really empty. Never having dessert, living a life of deprivation, in search of a youth that passed you by.

Music is something you listen to, not something you see. Just close your eyes and revel in the sound of this track. I can play it for hours straight.

And, just for the record, the waiting IS the hardest part.

Spotify link

Previous Rhinofy playlists