Pat Simmons is the only person who has been in every iteration of the Doobie Brothers. We talk about motorcycles, playing live before the Doobies, hooking up with Tom Johnston, New Orleans…there’s a lot of history here!
This is the biggest show in the chart, number one, above three Paul McCartney dates. Why? MORGAN WALLEN! In order to do that business in rock, you’d have to have two classic acts, or acts that made their bones over twenty years ago.
As for McCartney, he played smaller buildings. He too went clean. But the top and lower prices were actually a few dollar less than Church’s. This is not a diss of McCartney, this just illustrates how powerful country can be. Eric Church has been building his outsider status for over a decade, and he’s definitely selling rock. And Morgan Wallen has the biggest album ofÂ
the past two years…
PAUL McCARTNEY
6/4/22
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Capacity: 42,662Â
100% sold
Tickets: $539.50-$428.50
GROSS $8,848,665
CAMPING WORLD STADIUM? This has turned into a joke, no building maintains the same moniker, ultimately undercutting what credibility, status they’ve got. Sure, people will go anywhere to see a hot show, but that does not mean they’ll feel good about the building. Everything in America is sold out. The money may not have trickled down, but the philosophy sure has. People put the money first, as do the acts. And that means you can’t trust or believe in either. As for naming rights…how long is Staples gonna be Crypto.com? I’m sure there are all kinds of guarantees in the contract, but if the company goes out of business…
As for Mr. McCartney… People are now realizing that you’ve got to see the dinosaurs now, or they may forever be gone. That’s the Charlie Watts effect. All the hosannas about Taylor Hawkins, but he was all doped up, taking his own life, albeit by accident, whereas Charlie was clean and the Big C got him. Hawkins was a very good drummer, but Watts underpinned rock and roll. And if Charlie can go…so can you.
KENNY CHESNEY
6/11/22
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
Capacity: 53,502Â
100% sold
Tickets: $69-$274
GROSS $5,569,182
The Jimmy Buffett of his day, and not only musically. Kenny comes around almost every year, it’s a ritual to go to the show, doesn’t matter if he’s had recent hits or not. He’s got enough hits, but he also promises a show, with new, impressive production every year. Sure, he had Dan + Shay, Old Dominion and Carly Pearce in support, but that was just making a day of it. Chesney could sell out stadiums all by himself. It’s doubtful that Eric Church could sell that many tickets all by his lonesome.
EAGLES
5/28/22
MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Capacity: 10,926Â
100% sold
Tickets: $99-$750
GROSS $3,717,639
Charge what the tickets are worth, that’s how you beat scalpers. The Eagles are forever, at least as long as Don Henley wants to do it. Did you see that Kidd Creole was listening to “Take It Easy” when he encountered that guy he killed? Yes, you should read the story, also to see how fame doesn’t mean you’re rich, Creole even worked as a security guard: https://nyti.ms/3OltdCI
LOUIS TOMLINSON
5/15-17/22 (3 shows)
Movistar Arena, Santiago, Chile
Capacity: 8,201
97% sold
Tickets: $26.33-$1,344.65
GROSS $1,386,096
So he only did 97% at one gig in South America… No, he went clean in Lima on 6/1/22 and grossed $1,022,367!
Tomlinson could not sell anywhere near this number of tickets in the U.S. Which used to mean he would sell fewer tickets in South America. But, the U.S. is behind in more ways than politically and economically. The U.K. does a better job of spreading their acts worldwide. And pop and rock travel better than hip-hop, which is where all the focus is in the U.S.
SNOOP DOGG
4/19/22
Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, SD
Capacity: 10,081
95% sold
Tickets: $36.50-$166.50
GROSS $874,490
Snoop Dogg is a legend, around for 30 years already. To do these numbers in South Dakota is amazing. It’s very hard to sell out in these Northern Plain states. Interestingly, the opener was Koe Wetzel, an edgy country rocker who most hip-hop fans have probably never heard of, you’ve probably never heard of, but he’s got streams of 40 and 50 million on Spotify. And you wonder why you’re not rich and famous on your million…
“NASHVILLE COMEDY FESTIVAL”/BILL BURR
4/22/22
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Capacity: 12,624
99% sold
Tickets: $29.10-$69.50
GROSS $653,055
Let’s forget the 1% unsold. Just imagine how bad those seats are, in the rafters…FOR A COMEDY SHOW! These barns all have bad acoustics, I’m stunned people will sit so far back to listen to people talk. But they will, that’s just how hot comedy is.
HALSEY
5/29/22
Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkson, MI
Capacity: 14,446
92% sold
Tickets: $29.50-$129.50
GROSS $594,949
Halsey seems to have superseded the here today, gone tomorrow stamp that so many of the Spotify Top 50 wear. She’s seen as more of an artist than a hitmaker, to her advantage. As for not going clean, at these outdoor shows there are endless lawns, far away, this is a very impressive number. And she racked up similar grosses in Toronto, Cuyahoga Falls and the Woodlands in Texas.
JOHN MULANEY
5/12/22
Addition Financial Arena, Orlando, FL
Capacity: 7,654
89% sold
Tickets: $46-$126
GROSS $585,363
This guy was seen as white bread and harmless, and in his act he reinforced, in a humorous way, that he was not gay. Then he went to rehab, dumped his wife and had a baby with Olivia Munn and you wonder who really is this guy? Not an edgy comic. But perceived to be one of the funniest out there.
This is a huge number. Used to be comics could sell out theatres at best, with superstars playing a gig at Madison Square Garden. But in truth, comedy is hotter than music. Because in the era of sold-out cancel culture they’re the only people speaking truth (well, there are the Simpsons and other animated characters too). Everybody else is fearful of pissing somebody off, jeopardizing their career. But that’s the comedian’s act! People want to laugh and get a jolt of the truth. Do not underestimate comedy. Rather than becoming a musician, you’re better off becoming a comedian. You can buy your beats, create a hit and be back in your bedroom within a year. It’s a lot harder to make it in comedy, you have to pay your dues, hone your craft, but once you break through you can tell jokes FOREVER!
DaBABY
5/13/22
State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Capacity: 10,929
45% sold
Tickets: $49-$300
GROSS $522,259
45? In ATLANTA?
If you read the press, you’d think that DaBaby was one of the biggest acts of last year, if not the biggest! He’s got two tracks with over a billion, significantly over a billion, streams on Spotify. Too much too soon? People didn’t used to play arenas so early in their career. And are people wary of laying down their hard-earned cash for something that has such a brief time in the public eye?
Of course, this makes one wonder what else in the Spotify Top 50 can’t sell tickets. And if you think the act will have any sort of career, maybe you should play theatres first, where hopefully the demand will be overwhelming, generating heat for the act.
KATT WILLIAMS
4/23/22
Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI
Capacity: 5,807
92% sold
Tickets: $59-$350
GROSS $486,387
Katt is a known quantity, but he did these numbers BEFORE his new special “World War III” dropped on Netflix. Sure, there were supporting comics, but none with his firepower, nothing close. Katt sold these tickets.
JIM GAFFIGAN
3/30/22
Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Capacity: 7,902
97% sold
Tickets: $28.62-$89.75
GROSS $435,148
Arguably he’s leaving money on the table. He’s investing in his career by not charging the three digit prices of all the other acts. This does result in scalpers controlling the great seats and earning the lift, but the low prices do add to Gaffigan’s everyman persona. As for the high prices paid to scalpers… People LOVE PAYING THEM! Talk to anybody who’s paid way over face value for their seats. They love that they didn’t have to buy their tickets a year in advance and they know otherwise there’d be no way they could get these seats. So, you can either pay the act or the scalper, but don’t expect to sit in the front row for under a hundred dollars, the tickets are worth much more to fans!
As for Gaffigan himself. He’s seen as a safe, family comic. Although not THAT safe. But this guy does this kind of business everywhere.
Now think about that gross…
He’s got to pay his agent. But I’m sure he’s paying less than 10%, he should be. And he’s paying his manager, which can’t be more than 15% and should be less. But, for the sake of argument, let’s round off the numbers and take 25% out of 400k. That leaves Gaffigan with 300k! Oh, he’s got costs… He owns his own microphone probably. And he probably pays a road manager he doesn’t need, just to have company. And he stays in thousand dollar a night hotel rooms. But does the promoter pick that up? And then there’s transportation… Well, if he flies, I’m sure he goes private. And let’s just say he does a one-off, leaves New York and then comes back. Let’s put the jet at a relatively high price of 50k to go back and forth to Nashville. That still leaves him with 250k net! Of course, we’re talking gross numbers here, but someone like Gaffigan… He probably has a 90/10 deal. Or something close. And I rounded it off to 400k anyway. The buildings want him inside. To sell parking, food and merch. They’re dying to put acts like Gaffigan in their buildings. A guaranteed seller??!!
BERT KREISCHER
4/10/22
Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA
Capacity: 5,958
95% sold
Tickets: $39.75-$99.75
GROSS $339,611
The MACHINE! I hadn’t even heard of this guy until last week and he can sell this many tickets? Would we see this amount of fervor for most of the acts in the Spotify Top 50? NO!
TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS
5/7/22
White House Music Hall-lawn, Houston, TX
Capacity: 5,166
100% sold
Tickets: $50-$400
GROSS $267,650
My e-mail has been blowing up with this band in the last month or so. They’ve been around since 2007, but they’re not on a major label and they’ve never had anything close to a hit. Granted, this is Texas, acts sell tickets in Texas that can’t get arrested elsewhere. But the Red Dirt sound could easily spread with the right commitment. It’s like taking country to the U.K., you’ve got to invest, show people what they’re missing. And this can’t be done via a major label, Universal tried with Pat Green, this has got nothing to do with hits, it’s a slow and steady build that pays dividends forever. This is the new music business. The Spotify Top 50, that hit business, THAT’S THE SIDESHOW!
Having said that, the Turnpike Troubadours’ top ten tracks on Spotify all have double digit million streams. One even has 38 million. So, it’s not just about live. But also know you can have this many streams and still be unknown to most.
RYAN ADAMS
5/14/22
Carnegie Hall, NY, NY
Capacity: 2,741
100% sold
Tickets: $55-$75
GROSS $150,205
I can’t believe Carnegie Hall booked him. Who next, Harvey Weinstein?
This is a bad look. But an incredible number. Until you look and see three days later he only sold 47% of the tickets in a similar-sized hall in Philadelphia, only 1,292 people wanted to see him there.
My problem with Ryan Adams is he never apologized, he never owned his behavior. America loves to redeem its stars, as long as you give us a chance. Then again, in the wake of #MeToo, every infraction is seen as equal, whether it be by LouisCK or Aziz Ansari. CK went back on the road, I don’t think he should have been banned forever. As for Ansari, I’m not sure I get it. He blinked more than CK, but he just got married and…
SAM FENDER
5/7/22
Mitsubishi Electric Halle, Dusseldorf, Germany
Capacity: 7,200
50% sold
Tickets: $36-$50
GROSS $138,154
50% is a bad look, then again I don’t know this hall. Seems like a bad choice, he should have played somewhere smaller but the fact that Sam Fender can sell 3,600 in Dusseldorf, never mind Berlin, is pretty impressive. Fender has the goods, and he’s definitely a rocker. He couldn’t do anywhere near these numbers in the U.S., but why even try? Top 40 radio won’t play his tracks, he sounds nothing like what’s in the Spotify Top 50, he’s better off going where his music is embraced.
CHELSEA HANDLER
4/30/22
Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Capacity: 1,870
87% sold
Tickets: $49.50-$169.50
GROSS $135,218
Handler does this business everywhere. And she’s been off late night TV for years! Once again, this is the power of comedy. And for those who still think Salt Lake City is backward…you haven’t been there!
NIKKI GLASER
5/20/22 (2 shows)
The Wilbur, Boston, MA
Capacity: 1,093
90% sold
Tickets: $42-$98
GROSS $107,732
Another comedian. And unlike in rock, women in comedy are equal to the men, many make bank, the audience loves you as long as you’re funny.
TWIDDLE
4/2/22
College Street Music Hall, New Haven, CT
Capacity: 1,400
92% sold
Tickets: $25.50-$40.50
GROSS $35,914
A jam band, and not the most highly respected either, at least not by the older generation still going to see Phish and DMB, but the kids need their music too. The last album they had came out in 2018, and it was a live one. The band’s success is not about hit records, it’s not about airplay, it’s about live shows, delivering an experience, that is different every night. They’re throwing a party, the pop arena acts are giving a performance, and there’s a huge difference between the two. See the hit act extravaganza and…you don’t need to see it again, unless they’ve got another hit or two, and chances are they won’t. Whereas Twiddle is a night out, you can own it.
So the lesson is not to shoot for the stars, but the road. And know that traditional success, being on the cover of magazines and all over the radio… Many magazines have gone out of business and all of their readership is down. Believe me, the target audience for Twiddle is not listening to terrestrial radio. So, if you’re good enough, have good enough songs, you’ll eventually get bigger and bigger. Otherwise, you can continue to do it as a job, making a living, until you get burned out. This is the old pre-recording paradigm, and it’s back. You’re in control of your own destiny, it’s only you and your fans. No one telling you what to do. But it’s your responsibility to bring people to the gig, not the label’s, not the media’s, your music is your sales tool, and it either resonates or it doesn’t. Live is where the rubber meets the road, literally, but this is where your excuses evaporate. If you can get gigs and continue to build no traction, you’re either far ahead of the audience or not good enough.Â
It’s incumbent upon you to stick it out, you can complain all you want, but no one is listening. And some of the most talented have given up, talent is at most 50% of making it, most of making it is desire and perseverance. It’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll. And it seems live people would rather hear something closer to rock and roll than what’s in the Spotify Top 50.
We’re watching this show “The Journalist,” on Netflix. It’s Japanese, watch with subtitles, it’ll rivet you, not that it’s fast-paced, but your mind won’t be drifting, you’ll be paying attention.
And what we’ve got here is a lying Prime Minister. Caught in action, self-dealing. And at first the administration evades the issue, and then the Prime Minister outright denies it.
Everybody in the administration is shocked. Now they’ve got to cover up what has already been done, because of course the Prime Minister is guilty. They need to change all the records. And whenever someone balks, their boss says they’ll take responsibility.
Yeah, right. Until the heat comes down.
It’s hard to live with a lie. A sociopath can, but most people cannot. You can employ mental gymnastics to try and convince yourself you’re not culpable, but when the facts are clear, and the heat is getting closer to coming down on you, it’s nearly impossible to live in your own skin.
Or even if they’re never on to you, never catch you, you know what you’ve done. You never forget it. Years later you still think about it, sometimes you can’t stop thinking about it.
One thing has been proven definitively, Donald Trump lied about the election being stolen, there were no issues of fraud, Joe Biden won fair and square.
Now if you’re in the hinterlands, in your own news bubble, you still may not know this. It’s possible. And your faith is in your leader, Mr. Trump, and you’ve been taught to hate the enemy at all costs.
So if you even think about it, you have plausible deniability. When we’re talking about criminal convictions, it all comes down to intent. You can convince yourself you did not know. But as we go further and further up the food chain…
Everybody knew. Just like in that Leonard Cohen song. There was no fraud, even Trump’s own officials said “The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history.”
And now there are hearings detailing that Trump’s own people told him he was wrong, he was delusional, that he lost. But Rudy Giuliani decided to sacrifice whatever credibility he still possessed to pursue Trump’s cause, even though Trump had never come through for him, never given him the cabinet post he desired. And the rest of the choir? They were outsiders like John Eastman and Sidney Powell, who did Trump’s bidding, but also knew his belief the election was stolen was a cockamamie delusion. Hell, Eastman lobbied for a pardon, knowing what he was doing was illegal. And Sidney Powell’s defense is to undercut her own credibility, to say she’s merely an actor on a stage and you can’t trust anything she says.
But what about the people in Congress?
Sure, some are completely delusional, like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, but the rest…they know the score, they know Trump lost. But just like in “The Journalist” they figure if they all stick together, deny, deny, deny, it’ll all blow over. And it has, until these 1/6 hearings began.
So now they’ve got to live with the lie.
First they tell themselves everybody else lied too.
But now they’re seeing people like Bill Barr distance themselves. The rats are jumping off the ship. Will the finger eventually point at them?
Somewhere in the last few decades it became about the team as opposed to the player. That’s right, in the sixties it was all about rugged individualism, going your own way. You strove for excellence, not worrying about others’ judgment along the way. You needed to leave your mark, you did not want to be hindered by society’s constraints. And those who succeeded, in many cases musicians, became beacons for society. Everybody wanted to get closer to them, listen to them, model their lives after them. There was hope that you were not just a hamster on a wheel, that you could break out of the drudgery, find yourself and fulfill yourself.
But the coddled millennials had a different philosophy. Participating was enough. Maybe it’s a result of getting trophies for sitting on the soccer bench, but if you follow the alternative sports that were embraced by the millennials, many exhibited in the X Games, winning was nice, but competitors were friends, you reveled in everybody’s success. Unless you didn’t. Shaun White may be a hero in the mainstream press, but in the snowboarding world he’s a pariah, he was all for himself. And that’s not how you play it.
Same deal in hip-hop. The east coast/west coast wars. Biggie and Tupac. Meanwhile, most of America tuned out, many being racist and seeing it as Black people killing Black people.
And simultaneously politics became a team sport. Sure, it was always a two party system, but now you couldn’t cross the party, at least on the right. Stick together, toe the party line, or you’re ostracized. Can you say “Liz Cheney”? Yes, we’ve rigged the game. We’ve gerrymandered the districts such that a Republican will always win, and if you don’t do what I say we’ll primary you, run someone to the right of you, and you’ll lose your job.
And no one likes to lose their job in America. Certainly not a Congressperson with prestige, a guaranteed salary and a blue chip health plan. But if you play the game as told, there will always be a job for you down the line, as a lobbyist, or a lawyer, the Republicans take care of their own. As do the Democrats, which is one of the reasons why people have lost faith in the system.
But there are problems. Who is going to solve them?
Well, certainly not the Republicans in Congress. Their goal is to do nothing, that’s what Mitch McConnell said.
As for McConnell, one has to give him some credit, at least he’s intelligent. He walks up to the line of immorality, illegality, and then backs off. He’s never said Trump won the election. He was troubled by 1/6, but then he realized his party was not and he just wants to have the whole thing forgotten.
But the people don’t forget. Nor does the press. That’s the press’s job, as evidenced in “The Journalist.” So, Trump and his minions have vilified the press. Anybody who says anything they don’t like is fair game, even Fox News.
Everybody in the game knows the above. They’re willing participants, believing if everybody else jumps off a bridge…there must be rescue boats in the water, there’s no way they can drown.
But when the eyes of the law come looking for them…
It’s not only Bill Barr, but Ivanka Trump, the Donald’s flesh and blood, who says the Big Lie is not one.
You see when the whip comes down, everybody saves themselves. The Mafiosi may lie on the stand, change their testimony, but that’s mainly because they know the long arms of the organization are everywhere, they can always be reached. Hell, remember when Tony kills that guy in witness protection while taking Meadow to look at colleges in Maine? You never escape from the Mafia.
And politics has been run like a Mafia business, and people are getting away with bad behavior, crimes, to the point where the entire country is gummed up, where no one believes in the system, but if you lie on the stand neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are going to pay your family, take care of you for life. Once you’re in the legal system, you’re on your own. Like I said, many of these people are attorneys, who’ve lost all credibility since Watergate, and they know what they’re doing is wrong, which is why they ask for pardon protection.
As for Donald Trump… He believes the rules don’t apply to him.
But he’s not the only one. Did you see the story in today’s L.A. “Times” about the Gettys skating on hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes? Hell, Trump himself looks like he’s gonna get away with doing the same. As for the little guy and girl…they don’t even itemize, so they can’t even cheat! Yes, the richer you get the more opportunities you have to manipulate the numbers, put in so many layers of lawyers and shell companies that by time the government understands what you did the people who were excited about nailing you have left for private practice and the entire case runs out of steam.
So one guy screwed up the entire nation.
As for protection around Supreme Court judges’ houses… Turns out if you go against the cabal, your life is in danger. You’ll be threatened. They’ll surround your house. You thought it was only abortion clinics, but it’s not.
So how does this change?
Certainly not with Joe Biden, whose goal was to calm the waters and has not. Congress is different from what it was when Joe served, radically different. It’d be like hiring Russ Solomon to run Spotify.
Not only do we have no leaders on the left, the party wants the status quo, to the point where when someone tries to drag the party into the present they’re ostracized, can you say “AOC”? The entire country runs on the internet, only the oldsters pooh-pooh technology and tell you to get off your smartphone, the younger generations grew up with technology and know giving up the smartphone would be like giving up your car, or Uber, unable to journey ten miles to see a friend, never mind go to the dentist.
As for those leading the charge… Chuck Schumer and Adam Schiff are the kind of mealy-mouthed player who talks about the rules after they’ve already been broken. Tells people to go back home after the walls of the citadel have been breached.
But what I’m really talking about is those next in the firing line. Which at this point is those in Congress.
How long are you going to be able to support the Big Lie, keep your head in the sand? You’ve been told just to lie low, the higher-ups are taking care of it. But now you see the higher-ups abandoning the cause, vociferously trying to protect their reputations.
What about your reputation?
Well, you believe your job is safe as a Republican. Your district is safe. Just as long as you play ball and spew the nonsense of Trump.
But Trump even threw Ivanka under the bus! He only wants to save his own ass, he’s the definition of a narcissist.
So who is going to protect you?
If McCarthy turns the light shines bright upon your face.
And you never know when McConnell might turn. He’s all about saving himself, his long term reputation, and keeping the party in line. He’ll let Trump and his minions do whatever they want until it jeopardizes the entire enterprise. Then he aligns with the truth and Trump has to go.
I’d say we’re looking for more good people to stand up, but that won’t be their motivation. It’s not about doing the right thing, it’s about saving their own ass. And the army of truth-seekers is getting ever closer.
Ever read “The Tell-Tale Heart”?
It’s nearly impossible to live with a lie. And if you weren’t the original perpetrator when the law creeps towards your domain, you jump. It’s the same story again and again and again.
Your friends abandon you.
If you think Tucker, Sean and Laura are gonna have your back…you’re sorely mistaken. They live in a different world from you, they’re not elected, they’re on salary, they’re all about numbers, and they run from losers. They feel no responsibility.
But the news never feels responsibility. Which is why it’s hated. They chew you up and move on. Do you want to be chewed up?
As for the criticism of the 1/6 committee?
IT’S A MOVIE!
Yes, but that’s all Americans understand. Most haven’t read the aforementioned Edgar Allan Poe story.
And they’re too busy trying to deny their own reality. Yes, homosexuality is a sin… But you’re homosexual, or your son or daughter, what do you say then? And what do you say when they have an unwanted pregnancy? When it comes home, action is taken. That’s why there’s all this hoopla about opioids, it’s middle class whites who are dying now, not just “those people.”
Life is long. Sure, it’s over in the blink of an eye. But you know as well as I do your faux pas, your moral transgressions, never leave you. Leaving the scene of an accident. Cheating on the test. Lying to your spouse. You’d think it would be the victories that stuck in your brain, but that’s not how your noggin works. It’s the intentional mistakes that haunt you.
And even if you do come clean, it’s oftentimes too late. You’ve been labeled a pariah.
And if the game continues, if you never stand up for the truth, the collateral damage continues to pile up and you know you’re responsible. That’s what happens in “The Journalist.” People die. They get in the way, or they can’t live with the lie.
Ignorance is bliss.
But in truth once you get off the sidelines and start playing the game, almost everybody knows the score. No one says the Warriors didn’t win the NBA championship. And the Houston Astros stole signs and the team will be tarred by this forever, even though to a great degree they’ve cleaned house, it’s different players on the field. And they only stole signs, a relatively minor sin compared to throwing games, they still call it the “Chicago Black Sox Scandal” and it was over a hundred years ago.
So if pressure stays on. If the light continues to shine…
Expect people to crack. Because they won’t be able to live the lie any longer.
And if they don’t?
God bless America. But since God doesn’t exist, it’s gonna be a very rough ride.
Then again, when you believe in false prophets like Donald Trump you’re the chump, you’re the one who loses.
It’s your choice whether to do the right thing.
And there’s a camera everywhere, and you’re leaving digital cookies online all the time. So the odds of you being caught are higher than ever.
The elite can cheat, but not you.
And few are members of that exalted group. But one is Donald Trump. The walls are closing in. And he’s throwing everybody overboard, he’ll throw you too. At what point do you raise your head and take action to do what’s right and save yourself. That’s what we’re waiting for, don’t be surprised if we see it.
But we might not.
And those silent legislators… Will have to live with their decision forever. And forever is a really long time.
LOTS of love from his friends and peers (I’m sure you saw the video )
BIg cake from the Chicago guys at the show
He IS on the road where he wants to be … forget the naysayers who say he should stay home … huh?
He calls and asks when is the bus leaving and is Marc getting my oatmeal cookies?
He is feeling love on the road
He loves soaking it up .. the music and applause for his music
Watching the band
Watching Al sing and Blondie killing it on guitar and vocals like a teenager
He loves a steak for dinner and Popeyes on the bus
Watching the baseball or basketball game
Or football depending on the season
Is he running around like Mick? No
He doesn’t have to and after a horrible back surgery he can’t
BUT he loves being there .. it means the world to him
He thanks the Ladies and Gentleman and waves goodbye and hangs with his band and sings songs backstage off the cuff
Zero prompters or lyrics
He knows them all and sings whatever is floating his boat
Did you ever hear the Billy Idol story from the Greek before the pandemic?
Billy was coming to the show and his manager wondered about parking and saying hello
We told him to come do an encore
He came to soundcheck to work out some songs
It was HOT so BW was in his dressing room
People thought he wouldn’t know Billy.
Paul our MD said “Brian .. Billy Idol is here.†. without any pause he replied “Eyes Without a Face Billy Idol??!!†(which is what we call Billy now)
And demanded to see him right away
He made Billy sit next to him on the couch and wanted to talk about the production of that track and said
“I fucking LOVE that song†and he meant it !
Then he asked Billy if he was from England (classic Brian lol)
Billy was floored as were we and they had a great night at the Greek doing the encore and we had She & him as well.. they just did a beautiful tribute album with his songs .. you should check it out MELT AWAY A Tribute to Brian Wilson, it’s wonderful
Just when you think he’s not paying attention you are wrong !!! He remembers everything
He remembers what Paul McCartney was wearing the day they met right down to his shoes
I’m so happy for Brian
And happy for us all to have lived in his world with his music
Happy 80th boss
We love you
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From: Clint Young
Subject: Happy 80th Birthday, Brian!
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Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
February 22, 1990…
I was at my desk at Mercury Records in the Disney Chanel building above La Scala in Burbank. The phone rings and my assistant calls to me “it’s Brian Wilson’s office!â€
So I picked up and the voice on the line says she’s Brian’s assistant and he’s a big Tears For Fears fan and he’d love to see them tonight at the Forum. I didn’t believe it but I said “if Brian would be kind enough to autograph my Pet Sounds album I’ll send over a pair of tickets.†She says “Great… send it overâ€.
I messengered over the album… it came back signed “Brian Wilson†and I messengered back a pair of tickets to that night’s show. I still didn’t believe it was for real so i sent tickets next to my own seats. And guess what? I get to the show that night and there’s Brian with Eugene Landy. I didn’t say a word to him but it was a thrill sitting next to him watching Tears for Fears. I remember him looking not at all awkward listening to a band he obviously loved. My autographed LP of Pet Sounds is on my office wall to this day.
Cliff O’Sullivan
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Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
Hello..
I’m a filmmaker in Los Angeles, and somewhat of a music afficionando of my generation. I’m also a big fan of yours (I think I met you at Scott Powell’s house in Venice a few years ago.)
I don’t know how you do it: putting out so many essays on so many subjects, so consistantly and thoughtfully.
I almost never differ with your views, but…doesn’t Van Dyke Parks deserve a place in your piece on Brian Wilson?
Respectfully,
TB
—
Tony Bill
Barnstorm Films
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From: Andrew Loog Oldham
Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
bob,
from the streamless, flood full colombia….
i spent an evening with brian, my ex immediate records partner, tony calder and two ” health bodyguards ” at a santa monica eatery circa ’94. brian was feisty and fit, not looking like martin sheen,
he left the restaurant on every hour with one of the bodyguards for a marlboro .
he had been answering questions on an average 5 seconds behind the count, but he was game.
when it came time to pay the bill he insisted on doing so, saying ” i’ve let too many people do this stuff for me . ”
tony and i , both lifelong fans of the man, his collaborators ( i.e. tony asher ) and their music , let him mercedes away towards PCH.
a dreamily similiar lookalike to doris day approached me and asked , ” was that not the beach boy , brian wilson ? ”
” yes, ma’am , it most certainly was, ” i replied and smiled on behalf of brian.
” well, ” said doris, ” how nice to see him out and about again .”
say what you will about dr. landy , he got brian out of bed and walking up fifth avenue.
then he bought the trip …. we cannot all be paul mcguinness …..
best, o
RIP andy wickham
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Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
Don’s right. He can’t do what Brian could. Which is no knock: the same could be said for literally everybody else in our popular music world. And of COURSE you’re not the only one who knows “Till I Die”, which Brian wrote the lyrics for. It’s achingly beautiful and as stunningly honest and forthright about mortality (or at the least personality disintegration) as any song I can call to mind. “I’m a leaf on a windy day, pretty soon I’ll be blown away, how long will the wind blow?” I mean, come on. And, of course, on the same album, “Surf’s Up”, which for musical composition far outstrips any competitors from our magical popular music history, 60s on.
Put simply, Brian stands alone
Berton Averre
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From: Jim Koplik
Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
I’m glad you gave Mike Love his props. His lyrics were timely. Brian was the genius which Mike concurs. But Mike’s lyrics made it classic. I was always friendly with Mike, Carl and Dennis. Never said a word to Brian. He was very distant. Now only Mike is alive. And I am very fond of him. He taught me TM and slept at my apartment on the floor in the 70’s. And we took Metro North to Yonkers, New York that night. I’m looking forward to seeing him on August 19 when he participates in my late wife’s Foundation that supports teaching music to low income kids. The Foundation is aligned with the Michael Bolton Foundation.
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From: Rusty Young
Re: The Brian Wilson Movie
Brian Wilson was doing a show a number of years ago at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Nj. This is Bruce Springsteen’s “home†theatre, and he shows up unannounced several times a year to join a performer on stage. Midway through the concert Bruce slips out of the wings and steps in with the band mid song. The audience begins the usual Bruuuuce chant, and Brian clearly doesn’t understand what is going on in the middle of one of his songs.  After the song is done, one of the band members goes over and tells Brian what just happened…and he immediately turns into one of Sprinsteen’s biggest fans —asking us if we know who has just arrived out of nowhere and joined him on stage. He was beside himself, telling us how honored he was that a talent of Bruce’s stature would be willing to join him…They played together for a few songs and after Bruce left the stage, Brian was still shaking his head in disbelief…Just one of those rock moments.
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Re: Ziggy Stardust Turns Fifty Today
I promoted one of the early Ziggy gigs in the South of England. I’d seen one of the first at Imperial College in London and a homecoming performance at Wallington Town Hall in SE London.
London was ready for Bowie, the provinces were not! This was still a few months away from the Ziggy album release.
So Bowie’s entourage including the indefatigable Angie rolled into Southsea and played to a half full hall. But those that were there have carried it with.
It was in a good run of acts that included a very early support performance by Roxy Music, with Andy MacKay returning a couple of weeks later to see Sha Na Na.
Happy days – except for the bank manager!
Always good to read your newsletter & listen to the podcasts.
Philip Haines
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Re: Ziggy Stardust Turns Fifty Today
Great article regarding Bowie. I saw the Ziggy band live at Chicago’s Auditorium back in fall ’72. He was just breaking in America… mos def not a full house. Got very close to the front of the stage. What a mind-blowing show! I never saw or heard anything like it before. Became an instant fan. Went back and discovered pre-Ziggy music. Hunky Dory is pure genius! When I first heard the song Life On Mars I was completely blown away. Years later I would direct an indie feature film called Life On Mars… the lead in the story was John Ronson (my heroes Mick Ronson and John Lennon). I wanted to cast my musician friend Lee Michaels as a villain but he declined. Lee did however catered the film crew with tons of Killer Shrimp (his restaurant). I still can’t believe Ziggy is 50 years old!!! WTF!!!
Arthur Springer
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From: Michael Alex
Re: Ziggy Stardust Turns Fifty Today
I was thirteen years old, and all I knew about David Bowie was Space Oddity (which I loved) and adults saying he was a drug-taking homosexual, though I had a fifteen year old pen pal who wrote that Bowie was fantastic. Then one Friday night the Hammersmith show was listed in TV Guide at 1AM, and I begged my parents to let me stay up and watch it.  I begged and begged, and they decided that I would be allowed to watch it, but my father would watch as well to protect me from his presumably terrible influence.   Fine with me. (At this time my standard for outrageousness was Mick Jagger in Gimme Shelter, which had been on PBS.)
The show begins with Hang On to Yourself and my jaw drops.  Bowie is clearly from outer space. So is Mick Ronson.  Nothing looked or sounded like this before in my life.  I sat in front of the TV for the hour or whatever eyes wide, head bobbing, while my father kept muttering nervously “clearly this is a very talented young man.â€Â   I was blown away.  The world was a whole lot bigger and wilder and more exotic, and I wanted in.
Years later I interviewed Bowie for MTV, a career highlight. At one point when talking about early influences he said someone he really missed was Marc Bolan.  Meanwhile I still feel there’s a hole in the world where Bowie was.
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Re: Ziggy Stardust Turns Fifty Today
Ron Davies was one of my best friends and mentor. I had known him for years as a regular at Brown’s Diner in Nashville. I also have played guitar with his sister, Gail Davies for decades now. Ron, Gail, Ron Price and myself toured around the UK.  He became quite popular and not long after, Ron and myself were booking a UK-Europe tour as a duo. Unfortunately, he passed away a couple of months before we were to start the tour. Ron had been roommates with Tim Hardin and also Joe Cocker. Ron knew many, if not all, of Harding’s songs and would play them for me at his house or after the gigs. Long John Baldry also cut ‘ It Ain’t Easy’ with Rod Stewart and Elton John producing. Helen Reddy cut his ‘Long Hard Climb’ Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Nanci Griffith, Kieran Kane and Kevin Welch and others covered ‘ Waiting On A Dark Eyed Gal’. Ron and Gail had sibling harmony like the Everly Brothers and were working on a project and then he was gone. Ron made a living as a songwriter from the age of 17 and has an extensive song catalog. He is loved and missed by all the knew him.
All The Best,
Sergio Webb
Las Vegas, New Mexico
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RE: Ziggy
My crew got into David Bowie’s music through Hunky Dory. One lone copy sold at my local record store. I picked it up. By the time Ziggy came out, we were what you’d call fanatics. So when it was announced that Bill Graham was bringing the show to Winterland, San Francisco, we bought up immediately. It was late October, 1972, sort of a Halloween show. Graham bit for two nights. I remember seeing James Taylor in Berkeley that week. On every chair at the Berkeley Community Theater was a Bowie flyer. Uh-oh. Also on the bill was Sylvester and His Hot Band and the Florescent Leach and Eddie.
Anyway, we made it to Winterland early afternoon to get in line, except by the time the doors opened, there were less than a hundred people behind us. Uh-oh. I would estimate less than 300 people showed up on our night. (Winterland held 5400. Multiply that times two.) The same the following night. I remember Jerry Pompelli, Graham’s MC, mentioning that “Most of you came dressed up as empty seats.” Bill took a Bowie bath.
The Winterland stage was situated on the side, as it was for Pink Floyd first playing Dark Side. As a result, bands had to walk through the audience floor to get to the stage. I still remember the band traipsing across the floor in their silver space suits. They played undaunted to the thin crowd. We were seated above and behind the band. No setlist exists. I remember they opened with “Hang Onto Yourself.”
After the set, Bowie never returned to San Francisco until the Station to Station tour. So, yeah, to say that tour wasn’t sold out (it may have been in Santa Monica nights before) is an understatement. The only folks who attended were the freaks and the super fans.
Precisely ten years later, I was working with a local band and they were opening for T-Bone Burnett for a few local gigs. Mick Ronson was in his band. When I reminded Ronson that exactly ten years ago to the day…he grimaced and shrugged. What a great guitar player and arranger he was…
Kent Zimmerma
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Subject: Mr Grand Funk Railroad
I loved that was how you introduced Mark Farner to your podcast. What an amazing man and what a story of his trip to the the other side and back. Of all the highlights of his career that stood out for me as the one he would most likely not trade for any accolade.
I will share a quick GFR story that happened during the Strawberry Fields Festival in early August 1970 at Toronto’s Morport Gran Prix Raceway.
Aside from over thirty other acts GFR headlined Friday night, Zeppelin were scheduled for Saturday’s closer and Sly for Sunday. GFR destroyed the place and people would not let them get off the stage. It was amazing. By the time they finished it had become apparent that Led Zeppelin were not going to appear. No communication with transportation, no check in at local motel rooms on standby for them and of course no one was at Premier talent on a Friday night and no one had Frank Barcelona’s home number.Â
We took a quick survey of the team and it was unanimous. Let’s ask GFR to stay over and play again Saturday night. The band loved it, we paid them the same again (a fraction of the deposit we never got back from Peter Grant) and made the announcement to the crowd, who because there was camping mostly adjacent to your car, were all still within earshot of the huge PA which had been trucked in from LA. There was a roar from the visible crowd and a thunderous echo from the adjacent woods and it was on.Â
Talk about rescuing a Saturday night. GFR did it up right.
John Brower
Toronto
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From: Susan Levy Rash
Subject: Re: Bosch: Legacy
Bravo Bob !!!
Another great piece. I love your musings.Â
I was the publicist at MCA during  ‘Full Moon Fever’.  Shortly before it was scheduled for release Tom ran into George Harrison at a restaurant in Studio City, having lunch with a bunch of the department heads at Warner Bros.  Tom was still mad at his label for the whole $9.98 mess and he couldn’t imagine lunching with the enemy.  But whatever George said to him about it softened his stance and next thing you know Richard Palmese’s secretary is calling me, telling me that Tom Petty is coming into the building tomorrow to do all of his interviews to support the new album.
You would not believe the buzz in the building. It was palpable. No one could believe Tom was coming into the building.
With the help of Mitch Schneider, Tom did two full days— in one of the empty offices —interviewing with journalists to promote Full Moon Fever (which btw included a fantastic Spin cover story written by Michael Corcoran).
On the last day Tom asked me if he could see Al Teller, the then President of the label.  He took the long walk passed the bank of secretaries desks to Mr. Teller’s office.
I was told later that he wanted to see Al Teller to request that the label stop using styrofoam cups in their break rooms.  At that time MCA’s headquarters were in Universal City on the Universal Lot.  I was also told that because of Tom’s request, all of Universal Studios discontinued the use of styrofoam cups.Â
Like many others I was also surprised to learn that “Bosch Legacy†had been release and and that it was on FreeVee but I loved it just as much as the original series.
And yes the commercials bugged us (thank god they are brief) but I will say that it did help me discover Freevee (which I guess is the point) as well as the new incarnation of Judge Judy, so it wasn’t all bad.
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From: Shane Compton
Subject: RE: Gas
Hey Bob
Here in Ardernistan (New Zealand) we’re paying over $3 per litre, which
equates to about $12 per US gallon!! Â I’m talking in $ to $ terms, rather
than involving any exchange rates.
So, while I accept people are hurting in the USA, it’s a lot worse here
mate! Â Love your work Bob, take care,
Shane
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From: hasse breitholtz
Subject: Re: Gas
welcome to sweden:
1 liter gas today is 24 sek = 2,40 usd , which equals  9,60 usd !
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Subject: Re: Gas
Hi Bob,
Last I filled up at Costco (the gas quality is good) it was $5.60/gal. That was last part of May. I did see a few places in Beverly Hills and Hollywood that were showing $7+, but why go there? Arco is usually about the same as Costco, haven’t had any issues with their gas. Like you I need premium (Mercedes AMG) and don’t want to risk using sub-par gas.Â
I’m in Europe now, in Norway, an oil producing nation. Took the bus in from the airport (public transit works pretty well across most of Europe – try taking a bus in LA!) and saw Nkr 26/liter, which ends up being about $10/gal.Â
The truth is inflation is global, mainly due to the pandemic and supply chain havoc caused from it, more recently (and specific to fuel) oil and gas due to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.Â
I totally agree with your assessment and worry that Americans will trade long term freedom for short term security. What happens when people in a democracy vote to elect a party who’s platform is to eliminate democracy? Are people really aware of the choice they are being asked to make?Â
We certainly live in “interesting†times.Â
Be well.Â
Best regards,
Thor
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From: Mark Levy
Subject: Re: Gas
I hear ya, sometimes it doesn’t feel like Democracy’s hooks are deep enough to hold people through the kind of pressures it looks like we’re headed into. The authoritarian tide is menacing.
I believe this Summer will bring the touring music industry to the brink of viability. Inflation + fuel costs (fans and bands) + Covid + gun violence. None of it bodes well. As for fuel prices, like you said, the rich don’t care how much they pay for gas. My band toured March 15-April 10 cross-country in a bus and we spent 50% more on fuel than we budgeted for (before Russia invaded Ukraine). We barely turned a profit. Now we’re looking down the pipe toward bus tours in August and September. I’ve seen forecasts for $10 diesel + shortages by then. First Covid grounded us, now this insanity.
Like so much in life these days, I feel I can only savor the moment and hope for the best. After all, the only thing we really control is our own well-reasoned thoughts, right? I’m grateful to still be pursuing a life in music. The idea of a world where such a life is no longer possible is too dark for me to reason with. So for now, I won’t.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and for reading mine.
Mark Levy
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From: Gregory Prestopino
Re:Â “Break My Stride” and
Bob,
Firstly, love Joe Walsh’s note about writing the song down a half step; total truth.
When Matthew (Wilder) and I wrote “Break My Stride”, I think we both suspected (and hoped) it was a hit. Matthew was on Arista at the time. When Clive was sent the song, he just didn’t hear it. This is a much longer story but suffice it to say that Matthew got out of that deal and the album was released by Private Eye, Joe Isgro’s label.
When “Stride” came out, it was called a “turntable hit”, meaning it got airplay but no one bought it. Well, not nobody, but only about 800,000 copies, so not gold.
Well, somehow, a bunch of years later the song has ended up re-interpolated in several top ten records (Puffy’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down”, Christina Aguiler’s “Can’t Hold Us Down”, Matisyahu’s “Jerusalem”) and on and on. Not to mention TikTok and various commercials.
Why? I have no idea. I mean I always knew the song was great…for a “novelty” song, as many dismissed it.
What J.D. said is right on the money: “…write a great song and sing it well. It might not make you rich but then again, it just might…” Bootstraps work is important. But never underestimate the role of luck in all of this.
The older I get, the more I think “If You’re Lucky” should be written across the universe and maybe tattooed on everyone’s forehead the moment they’re born.
gPresto
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From: chris stein
Subject: Re: Elliott Murphy-This Week’s Podcast
Elliott’s brother Matt Murphy was perhaps the best tour manager Blondie ever had. Not to diminish others but he was fantastic
