People HATE this movie!

It’s got a confounding score on RottenTomatoes. It has 80% on the Tomatometer, the average of critics’ reviews, in this case 192, and a 37% audience score, with in excess of 1000 ratings. That’s enough data to be definitive.

Sometimes foreign shows have a lack of data. So you don’t know whether to trust RottenTomatoes. And oftentimes, the lowbrow public can’t handle a foreign show, so the critics’ ratings might be high and the hoi polloi’s low. But for a mainstream movie?

And that’s exactly what “I Care a Lot” is. A Hollywood production, made for opening weekend and hopefully longer. Almost high concept, and not purely authentic. A slice of life, but no one’s life who you know. It’s a caper, it’s an adventure, it’s a ride.

But now we no longer have to go to the cinema to see it!

Yes, I never would have paid to see “I Care a Lot,” because unless it’s truly legendary, I no longer trek to the theatre, it’s a bad experience, in toto. The movie plays at a specific time, always inconvenient, you’ve got to get there, you’ve got to endure the trailers…and the audience.

As for films needing to be seen on the big screen…

A couple of months back we got one of those LG OLED TVs. I thought it was completely unnecessary, we’ve got a top of the line Samsung from way back in 2007, LCD, which they no longer make anymore, I was wowed by the picture until…

We set the up LG.

It cost $2600. Felice blanched. I thought it was ridiculous.

But then I read an article that said if you just wait, the sets go down in price as the year progresses. There are new sets introduced in January at CES and…

The price went down to $2100. Still too much. But then just after Halloween Felice got the itch, she needed to get it. Me? I have trouble pulling the lever on almost any purchase, and as I said above, I thought it was completely unnecessary, I could not imagine a television better than the old trusty Samsung. We have a later Samsung model, an LED, top of the line, and the picture is nowhere close to the original 2007 one.

So I went online to buy the TV, and just that day the price declined to $1800! So then the question became who to buy it from. I believe in Amazon. But Felice was all uptight about removal, a service Amazon does not provide. Turns out Best Buy delivery is free, and if you pay just a bit more, they’ll detach and remove. But if you want the new one installed, you had to wait in excess of a month. So we bought it from Best Buy and I booked an installer from Thumbtack I’d used before. I swear by Thumbtack. Costs are cheaper and the people are so afraid of getting a bad rating they over-deliver.

And I’m glad we booked the installation, the mounting was easy, but the key was the installer tuned the set, since he installs these on a regular basis, he’s got the settings down. Which is good, because the thing came with no manual. As for all the built-in features, the apps, Alexa… I’ve learned they’re unnecessary. Because as the TV ages the apps on it are not updated, because streaming services write for new devices. Best to get a Roku. Which updates itself automatically. Which is better than the TV itself, which usually features an unbelievably slow chip.

So the guy set up the TV and my jaw dropped. I had no idea that a picture could be this good. I come from the school where unless the TV is broken, you continue to use it, the one in my office is a Panasonic from 2009. But it turns out I am wrong, the upgrade is worth it.

And if we were going to spend this much money, I had to be sure, was this set the best available? Everybody says so. Yes, the LG CX series. They just updated it, but the upgrades are superfluous. You want a 65″ set. A 75″ is a huge step up in price, basically a grand. As for anything smaller? Believe me, you want the 65″.

And sure, it’s 4k, but almost nothing is in that format. But the DETAIL! I could see the hairs on Rosamund Pike’s face.

Rosamund Pike. I never got it. She didn’t fit the image I had in my mind in “Gone Girl.” But here she is utterly amazing. Award-worthy. Which is one of the reasons I finally decided to watch this movie. I had it in the back of my mind, but since she won the Golden Globe… I know the Globes are ersatz and I hate to admit it swayed me but I was a bit reluctant to watch because everybody I knew who saw it HATED IT, just like on RottenTomatoes!

And Felice wanted me to turn it off after seven minutes. She saw where it was going and she didn’t want to go any further down this road.

But I was digging it.

Because of the production values. Because it was a MOVIE!

I prefer streaming series, there’s more character development. Also, all movies made for television are substandard, they’re made on a budget to fill a programming slot. They’re commerce, not art. They’re almost an insult, a time-suck.

But not “I Care a Lot.”

The money was spent. I felt just like I would at the theatre, only I was at home, starting at 8:25 PM. Do you know any movie that starts at 8:25 in a theatre? I’d been planning to fire it up at 8:05, but then my older sister called. And she said she hated it too. But I wanted to dive in anyway.

So it starts off with this rap about winners and losers. That is, what does it take to win?

That seems to be why the critics liked the film, for the social commentary.

As for the public? They had problems with the ending. I did not. Actually, I could pretty much see where it was going very early on. I was satisfied with the conclusion…

But really, it’s about the ride. Rosamund Pike is just so BAD!

Maybe you know some winners. Some billionaires. Some CEOs.

They did not get there by accident, don’t listen to a word they say, it’s all b.s., if they really told you what it took to make it to the top you’d be horrified! My father reinforced this to me again and again, he said SCHNOOKS GET SHAT ON! It’s a rough world out there, and if you’re not fighting to get ahead…

I can’t do that.

First, you’ve got to be good with people, you have to know how to smile and manipulate them. Business friends, that’s just what they are. It’s mutual masturbation to hopefully get where you want to go. If there was no money involved, no career advancement, you probably would never hang out with these people.

And then there are the winners.

First and foremost, you must play to win. You cannot be conciliatory, you’ve got to go for the jugular. But true winners know not to be aggressive and in your face all all the time. Most are charming, cunning, you think you’re set and then they knife you in the back.

Oh, don’t tell me I’m jaded and inaccurate. It’s like Jack Nicholson in that old movie, YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

And the twist starts with Dean, the lawyer. Leverage. Intimidation. Do you get scared, or do you want to stand up to the man? And the man doesn’t have to raise his voice, he can get his message across quite quietly.

As for women? Pike nails this again and again. How men have tried to intimidate her and have threatened her ad infinitum, but when push comes to shove…

Yes, there’s a feminist angle here too. And a lesbian relationship. So for those that say Hollywood is out of touch, behind the times, not in “I Care a Lot,” maybe not on Netflix.

So, at first you’re dazzled by the production values, the cinematography. And just when you think you’ve got the plot nailed, it switches. And then becomes a cat and mouse game. And towards the end it gets kind of ridiculous. Which is why on an absolute scale this movie is just a solid B. But in a sea of mediocrity, a solid B is worth your while. As for grade inflation? Those at the top know grades are irrelevant. They don’t care about degrees or pedigrees, that’s how the inadequate puff up. It’s what you deliver, what you’ve got. You don’t have to shine it up, either it radiates on its own or it does not, either it’s worth something or it is not.

So you can watch “I Care a Lot” as a conventional movie, and be pissed it doesn’t work out the way you want it too.

Or you can watch it as social commentary. And it does this quite well, without constantly banging you over the head.

Or, you can just strap yourself in and go on the ride. A ride without the corners cut off, like so much in today’s world, afraid of offending somebody they smooth off the edges and make it safe and ultimately unwatchable. But the truth is Rosamund Pike has got an edge inside so sharp it can cut through almost anything. But she covers it with a smile, with platitudes, and she gets her way. You know how this is, you sit around with your friends complaining about the person from your group who made it and left you behind. They’re now jive. They’re different. No, they were always this way, they just wanted it more than you, THEY NEEDED IT!

Rosamund Pike needs it. Money is everything to her. And for most people it is. Of course, intellectuals will watch the movie and ask WHAT DOES ROSAMUND PLAN TO DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY? You know people want to win the lottery, but then what? You can only buy so many houses and cars, there are twenty four hours in a day, how are you going to fill them? Drinking and drugging and…that gets old really quickly. No, you want to work, for the camaraderie, for the social interaction. Then again, who do you want to play with? Those at the top never play the lottery, they know the odds are against them, it’s a rigged game. No, they create the game, or bend the rules of the one they’re involved in. They need better odds. And the triumph is almost as rewarding as the cash. As for the cash? The successful want it for power more than for what it can buy. And respect from their peers. Who know they’re someone to pay attention to, because they know what it takes to make it that far, to get that rich.

So, about two-thirds of the way through this flick I couldn’t wait to recommend it. But when it drove to its conclusion, I was wavering. Now?

I don’t need to hear that you watched it and didn’t like it. Like I said above, MOST PEOPLE ARE WITH YOU!

But if you used to live to go to the movies, for the experience, to be led along by a sleek production, that’s what “I Care a Lot” delivers. If you saw it on the big screen you’d enjoy it, or hate it, just as much, you’d never say it was a TV movie, you’d never say it was cheap.

So it’s almost nostalgia, for those who remember movies in the days before they were all fantasies, with special effects and superheroes.

But in this case, it’s just a click away, on the flat screen, for you to watch.

“I Care a Lot” is not empty calories. It may not be wagyu, but it’s definitely not Burger King. It’s more akin to filet mignon. It delivers.

Maybe you’ll like it. I CERTAINLY DID!

https://www.lg.com/us/tvs/lg-oled65cxpua-oled-4k-tv

Responding to what Sasha Brown said, Bob, he’s right on about life on the road and the toll it takes, and the dedication it requires. Sometime in the mid-70s I came to realize that the artist was simply a money pump for the labels, the managers, the agents. I was travelling with, as I recall, five other musicians in my backup band, a sound engineer, a road manager and a truckload of gear.

His tale of driving back and forth across the country resonated. We were flying, not driving, but they had us playing — on consecutive nights — Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC. In that order. I was paid a LOT of money that week, but it all went out the windows to everybody else.

I wasn’t only a member of a band, I HAD a band. They got paid first, I got paid if there was any money left. I came to realize that on the first night of the week I was working for the Manager; on the second I was working for the Agent; the third paid the Band; the fourth went to the Hotels; the fifth to the Airlines. And IF there was a sixth night, I might get to keep a bit. I was making music, but my REAL job was to pump money out of the pockets of the public and into the bank accounts of the Industry.

I’ve been making music for something like 58 years now, and I still love it, can’t wait to get back on the road (though I’ll certainly keep up Rockport Sundays, my Patreon subscription series) — but I’m no longer beholden to record companies and managers, and am doing much better financially than when I was. All that glitter is expensive!

Tom Rush

Rockport Sundays: https://www.patreon.com/TomRush

Bob,

Just wanted to reply to your missive about Neal Francis. What spurred me to write is how gracious his manager Brendan O’Connell’s reply was to you in response to your comment “Someone’s got a deep pocket.” I’d ask you to take a step back and reflect about how dismissive of hard work and sacrifice this  comment is. I played guitar with Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds – toured the US for 9 years, drove over 500,000 miles in a van, we did it all – Austin City Limits, Bonnaroo, Brooklyn Bowl – you name it, we probably played there, whether it was in front of 9 people in a dive in Indianapolis or in front of 15,000 people opening for Grace Potter in Buffalo.

Every single “big ticket item” that we did as a band – buying a Sprinter van, a $50,000 spend making a record – we took loans out and paid them back from working our asses off, tirelessly. There were no handouts, no giant record label advances, no one flying us in private jets. Our first Sprinter van broke down and the repair ate up all the money the band had made on our first 10 week tour back when we were playing for peanuts. We had twice as many people in our band (9) as most other bands, so the financials never worked in our favor. It was a stupid, impractical, foolish idea to think we could make a go of it. We all knew it, and many people tried to warn us off, but we did it anyway. Despite all the band arguments, the number of times we had to drive across the country (NYC to LA to DC in 1 particularly hellish week) on no sleep — these were some of the best memories of my life. The Heard (the band Neal was in before striking out under his own name) opened for us at a now defunct venue in Brooklyn where 12 people showed up in our early days. Those were humbling shows, and there were many of them. You’re demonstrating your life’s work and hopes and all your hopes and dreams and the fact that no one cares is right in your face! The camaraderie shared among bands in our scene that came up together, like The Revivalists, Turkuaz, and the Nth Power, has led to deep, long-lasting friendships and continued collaborations that will last my whole life. We only see each other a few times a year – particularly during Jazz Fest in New Orleans – but our bonds are unbreakable. The shared experience we had – the emotional roller coaster that you ride when you go from headlining festival stages in front of thousands and feeling the magical energy exchange between band and audience to the very next night playing a dive where the band outnumbers the audience – are unlike any other. I can write run-on sentences all day about it – but that shared experience between the musicians imparts an unspoken understanding that goes beyond my ability to spin yarn and ramble on.

I have great respect for your opinion and your perspective on the music industry. Your letters have been an invaluable resource to me as I was wearing other hats in the band, whether it was tour manager, accountant, public relations rep, social media manager, business strategist, or a roadie (often all in the same day). It was exhausting and my efforts often felt unappreciated or unrewarded, particularly when I looked at my empty bank account after a decade of working to help build our band from our first gig in our trombone player’s basement in Brooklyn to my last show with the band 9 years later when we sold out Irving Plaza. I know what the quality of life can be for people like Neal Francis – times where its the highest of highs, and often – the lowest of lows. But I can’t stand idly by while anyone – even someone with your stature – makes an offhand, dismissive comment that seeks to reduce all the actual blood, sweat, and tears that goes into making a record sound good. I can’t overstate how hurtful it is that anyone could have an impression that records sound good because of the assumption that it means that somewhere, someone has deep pockets and made it happen with one John Hancock.

I’ve been living this life for some time now, and I have seen that happen for one or two albums in our scene. The rest, like Neal’s manager wrote above, comes from maxed out credit cards, Kickstarters, playing 200 shows a year, and driving the distance to the moon and back twice (and yes, our band did that, like many others have). I know the work that goes into making good art, and it’s incredibly hurtful for all that effort to be dismissed by you as easily as you did. And this from someone who shows up in the world as a champion of the music industry and of good music and good artists! Major ouch, man.

If minimum wage from the 1970s kept up with inflation, it would be at over $30/hr today. Yet the movement for economic progress has us *fighting* for $15/hour. Rising tides would raise all boats if people could truly see how the rich and powerful have pit We The People against each other. Politicians and (those who place stories in) the Media successfully paint Bernie Sanders to be a “revolutionary leftist”, while in other countries everything he advocates for has long been standard practice. America is not ok, and as the people who are always paid last in the world, artists right now are suffering greatly. As venues have been slowly opening back up, every performing musician has been on the receiving end of the “well, our alcohol still costs the same, and we have to pay our bartenders the same, and now we have extra cleaning costs and only 25% capacity, so we can only pay the band half of what we used to (underpay) them.”

The phrase “just do it for love or for yourself” that gets batted about when talking about artists is a bullshit trope spoken by lazy pseudo-intellectuals. When the pandemic hit and we went into quarantine, how did we all spend our time? By watching Netflix (TV shows are an artistic creation) and listening to music for hours and weeks and days on end to pass the time… Those things, those artistic creations birthed of hard work – bring a smile to our face, set the mood for a romantic night in, or foster a dance party in our living rooms with roommates. These captivating creations transport us to a better place and distract us from the sobering, depressing, terrifying state of the world outside our door. That feeling that music imparts to us – that magic? It has VALUE. It enriches our lives. Babies are conceived to the sounds of records. And yet artists continue to get fucked over by the industry and disgustingly exploited by Big Tech. 

I’m happy that you found Neal’s music – he’s terrific and will only get better with time because, like all of us, the love he has for what he does is boundless and infinite. He’ll be making music til his last breath as long as he can keep his house in order and not let either the trappings – or depressing nature of much of what this life brings – sway him from his path. The road to making good records means missing weddings, missing funerals, means missing your friends from home and your family all year long. There’s a lot of hurt involved, and if we’re lucky, we as artists can alchemize both the hurt and the love and joy that this life brings into the magic of a good song. So, if you’re truly a music fan, please don’t cut down artists by bypassing all the sacrifices we make in order to do what it is we love. We’re not asking for handouts, we just want to feel valued and feel the energy exchange both ways. Because otherwise, without the equitable exchange, the world would go silent. And is that a world that any of us would want to live in?

I didn’t think so.

In Oneness and Love,

Sasha Brown

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As an avid show goer of more than 200 per year, I am convinced that the Neal Francis’s of the world are the industry’s backbone far before the big dogs are. Saw Neal twice a couple years back and ready for more. It’s authentic. The end

Kyle Smith

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Tell Neal we love what he’s doing (and his label) out here in record store land.
Galen

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Well hot damn, you found Neal Francis! He’s fantastic. We pushed his album hard at Grimey’s in Nashville and had Neal in for an in-store performance very early on and he blew me away. We sold a lot of records too. I think if Neal were able to be out there touring, playing Coachella, whatever, more people would be getting into him but you’re certainly helping with this coverage today so thanks for that, Bob.

I get a real JJ Cale vibe off of “Changes Pts. 1 & 2” and the New Orleans influence on other tracks is undeniable. I hadn’t listened so closely for the Leon Russell vibes but tonight when I pull the record off my shelf and play it again that will be something to listen for.

Doyle Davis

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Hi bob,  thanks for this.   I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about the drummer!  – what a tasty display of groove and chops!

chadwick stokes

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Absolutely love it… Spacebomb meets Sly.
Dreaming of dancing to this at a festival some day…
Cheers,
Andy Fordyce

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Thanks Bob.  I dig it. New Orleans meets Frankie Miller.    A pleasant surprise

Alan Childs

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Hey Bob, late to the party but checked it out… HIGHLY respect him and the band going for an organic, groove based sound but…

The influences are so strong it feels like they are trying a little too hard and while the song is serviceable it doesn’t groove deep enough to remotely compare to the 70’s music it is based on.

The bass is killin’ but the drum sound, while obviously intentional (flat, probably no bottom heads, etc), going for that 70’s funk sound, just isn’t working – too literally retro. Exacerbated by the drummer being a bit stiff – relax and find your own sound, man.

No doubt he can play them keys but you are right the vocals are a weak link. He clearly wants it badly so with a good vocal coach could probably bring them up enough.

They would likely be a fun live show but for recorded music why wouldn’t I listen to Dr. John, the Meters or Leon??

No disrespect but to me it’s good but not great.

DG

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Hi bob,  thanks for this.   I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about the drummer!  – what a tasty display of groove and chops!

chadwick stokes

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I got dj service on “Changes Pts. 1 & 2” from PlayMPE in 2019 and was hooked. Did same deep dive on him. Always great to see you shine a light on the genuine, Bob. Neal earns all the props he and his band can get.

Cameron Dilley

www.WMNF.org Tampa

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horns just as this song hits the four-minute mark and the horns really set in. This is the part of the song worth waiting for. It’s like everything that came before was foreplay, and this is the part you are here for.

Too bad you didn’t like the Low Cut Connie. Don’t know which song, but I love them. Adam Weiner is a great showman. Hope you can get into more of him.

Mike Stein in Cleveland

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Bob, tell Neal Francis and his band to get to Australia, when all this is over. Get to Laneway Festival. Get on Triple J national radio. Get in touch with Ken West.

Maybe just source some local gear to save on air cargo. We would absolutely love the shit out of his grooves. We know the real deal when we see it.

Agree with you about the vocals on Changes. But that can always improve. All else fails, more REVERB.

Subject: Hey, it’s Neal Francis

Bob,

I was very surprised and honored to read your reaction to my song “Changes, Pts. 1 & 2.”  I have been aware of you for several years now. My band and I listened to your podcast on long van rides, and we were thoroughly entertained by your erudite, albeit sometimes cynical, musings on the music industry. I never imagined we’d be the type of act to come across your radar, let alone be the subject of your newsletter. We used to joke about taking your advice and “pivoting the act towards EDM.” Yet lo and behold! I’m grateful for the nod.

I’m glad you noticed I don’t really give a shit about trends, making money, or any of that…. Grateful to say that most of the time I’m concerned with creating music I’d like to throw on my own turntable (yes, I mainly listen to music that way). Opinions on his music aside, one thing that always resonated with me about Frank Zappa was his lack of concern for what others expected of him. I consider the record I’m currently working on a significant departure from the influences displayed on Changes, and I’m at peace with that. What’s the point of the struggle if I’m not going to create stuff that excites me? It would be easier to work at the UPS store, which is what I did before making records.

We don’t have deep pockets. We just decide we’re going to do things to a certain standard and make it happen…. We’ve been blessed with a lot of luck along the way, and we were prepared to make the best of those opportunities. I’m lucky to have bandmates that don’t mind loading an antique key rig in and out of the trailer every night. A Nord Electro would be more practical. They help me do it because it sounds bad ass and it’s more fun. And I’m grateful to recognize that I’ve already “made it.” My work and my passion are one and the same.

Anyway, I’ll cease rambling here. I hope you get a chance to read this and connect for a chat down the line.  I think we probably dig a lot of the same music and it would be fun to talk.  Thanks again for listening and taking the time to share your thoughts with your audience.

Best,

Neal Francis O’Hara

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Bob-

As an avid reader of your letter for the past twelve or thirteen years, I was pleasantly surprised to see your latest missive about Neal Francis (I’m his manager). It’s so refreshing that you get it–Neal is an original, a true artist, and absolutely someone that follows his own artistic vision without trying to chase current trends.

Neal and I grew up in the same part of the Chicago suburbs and reconnected in 2017 after he got sober. I was winding down my own rock n’ roll dreams with my band, and Neal was just starting his solo career. He told me he had some songs in the can and I asked if I could take a listen. When I heard these songs (“These Are The Days,” “This Time,” “She’s A Winner”), something clicked. I heard all the influences–Leon Russell, The Meters, Allen Toussaint–and it connected immediately for me. We met up, talked about how to put out your own record, and eventually he sighed and said something that so many DIY artists think: “Man, I just really need a manager.” My wheels started spinning and I thought, “why not me?” I’d put in my 10,000 hours managing my own band, but had never tried doing it for someone else. I’ve read your letter long enough to know the golden rules (don’t ask for help until you are ready, build it and if you deserve it they will come) but the truth is that so many artists never get over the hump or get any help from anyone besides themselves. It’s so uncommon for new artists to have BOTH business acumen and to be amazing at writing, arranging, singing, playing, etc. Sometimes you just need to be lucky and meet someone.

We’ve had luck along the way, signing with Joshua Knight from Paradigm and Phil Egenthal (now at Mint Talent Group) after Neal’s very first show; touring with the Black Pumas right before they broke big; and hit some snags. 2020 was going to be huge for Neal with festivals, multiple European and Japanese tours, and more. But there are no deep pockets here. Karma Chief (a subsidiary of Colemine Records) is a small but mighty label in Ohio, and they’ve been great to us despite limited resources. We’ve maxed out our share of credit cards and kept it skinny as much as possible. Similar to a lot of American families these days we’ve skated by from check to check, hoping that somehow we’ll be able to figure out the latest crisis without overdrawing the account. What holds it together is belief in the music and the project.

After years of slogging it out with my own music to relatively little acclaim, it has amazed me how much a good song and unique production (those horns! that vibe!) will do for you. Sure, “Changes, Pts. 1 & 2” doesn’t have a million streams–yet–but it has opened so many doors for Neal just because people respond to it, because it sounds different, and because it transports you somewhere else.

Neal is an uncompromising artist. No digital keyboards on stage–he tours with a Keith Emerson sized keyboard rig including a Hammond Organ and Leslie, Clavinet, and Yamaha CP70. He won’t track his records to a computer—analog tape only. He’s single minded in his drive and ambition. Nothing, save sobriety, is more important than the music. Sobriety and an Irish Catholic upbringing has given him both a deep sense of gratitude and a foreboding, guilty fear that the other shoe is going to drop and that everything will go away. It’s this combination of gratitude and ambition, great songwriting and an artistic vision, that has Neal on track for a long and fruitful career. He’s in the studio now working on his sophomore album, in fact.

Again, thanks for listening and writing about Neal.

Oh, the solo after the first chorus of “Changes, Pts. 1 & 2” is actually Neal playing his Clavinet modified with a whammy bar. Check it out:

Cheers,

Brendan O’Connell

The Byrd Agency

https://www.thebyrdagency.com/

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Great to hear Neal Francis caught your ear and you’re hooked like I am!

 

I was hipped to Neal in October of 2019, my friend Oliver Roman was playing guitar for him on a short tour. I saw a video Oliver’s dad posted online from a club show and was blown away, I told Oliver I wanted to connect with Neal as soon as I could for Korg Keyboards. Players like Neal, that play keys and lead a band are rare these days! He connected me the next day and we’ve been in touch ever since.

 

A few months later he was in LA for a show at the Moroccan Lounge downtown and I wasn’t going to miss it. I had already been in touch with his manager (Brendan O’Connell) as well and we were all going to meet up before the show to hang out & chat gear, it was exactly one year ago today actually (3/4/20), I know that date specifically because my car was broken into while I was at that show and it was the 2nd to last show I saw before lockdown!

 

Anyway, Neal is a real deal talent and a good person! His knowledge of music, music history, production, keyboards & synths were clear right away, and it all comes out in his playing. Plus, as I mentioned, he’s a good person (I work with a lot of artists at or below his “professional level” who think they are god’s gift to the world, Neal is isn’t like that at all). Brendan (also a great guy!), Neal and I geeked out for a long time on all the music we dig, gear, playing, etc. It’s been great to get to know these guys better, Neal’s got some of our latest and greatest and has been sharing music & videos, he even did a fun IG takeover for us from his “bunker” last April too!

 

From my understanding there are even bigger things coming for Neal, and I’m excited for him!

 

Thanks for shining a light on a great talent!!

 

-Tom

 

PS – Dr John’s “Back By The River” & “Such A Night” are fucking amazing songs (among others)! Don’t sell him short!

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I had Neal Francis and his band play at my house last fall in Madison, WI.  Outside on my dock.  They took the gig because they wanted to play.  And they turned a socially distanced neighborhood party into a dance party within seconds.   This band is infectious.  Most of my friends and neighbors had not heard one note of Neal and his band.   By the end of the first song the entire neighborhood was dancing.  Prior to getting sober and getting focused.  He was a part of a band in Chicago called The Heard.

Neal and his band are focused. They mean business.  In my opinion, his sobriety isn’t a marketing gimmick.  He had to hit bottom to understand what it takes to cut through the noise.  He chose sobriety, practice and the groove.

Thanks,

Nathan Reuter

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Almost exactly 1-year to the day (3/8/20) was one of the last shows me and a lot of my SF music compatriots got to see before being locked down: Neal Francis working up a sweat and the crowd into a frenzy at Brick and Mortar in the Mission.

David Rubin

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Neil Frances opened for the Black Pumas in Downtown Los Angeles a couple of months before Covid. The energy they brought to that show was infectious. A couple of months later, the night before Gov Newsom shut California down, he played in a small bar in my hometown here in Fullerton, CA. They played as hard and with as much enthusiasm in that small bar with maybe 30 people present as they did at the sold out Black Pumas concert. When we get back to normal, and can start going to shows again, you must see them live. They do not disappoint.

Troy Clem III

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Bob – Great tune…it’s really got that vibe that says, “Yea, I know it’s good”.  But, it rides on the bass line.  Listen again, everything comes off the bass line. It is just terrific.
Thanks for sharing.

Jeff Douglas

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Hallelujah!!!

Can’t say how happy I am to see you promoting Neil Francis to your audience.  I discovered his music through some sort of alchemical algorithmic magic in 2019 and was fortunate enough to catch his band live at the Park West in Chicago shortly before Covid shut everything down.  Honestly, they KILLED it live.  Every song in their set, top to bottom.  Super funky.  They were only the opener, so most people in the building had no idea who they were, but the entire room was electric for their whole set.

When I first heard Changes, I thought Apple Music had somehow inserted something from the 70s into a playlist full of contemporary music.  The retro production is so warm.  Check out the entire album, it’s pretty much funky and catchy top to bottom.

Nick Noyes

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Hey Bob ~ The jam scene has already started to lift Neal up. He’s going to end up selling a lot of tickets to live music fanatics who crave that groove and an ability to stretch out. Vibes for days!

Ari Fink // SiriusXM
Phish Radio / DMB Radio / Jam On

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Absolutely love Neal!

Witnessed his performance at the Moroccan Lounge a year ago to the day tomorrow (March 4, 2020) It’s was incredible!

His music has the ability to truly enhance your spirit!

Enjoyed reading about your initial reaction. I highly recommend digging deeper into Colemine Record’s catalogue.

Mark Foley

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Damn you Sir!
🙂
I can’t stop listening to Neal Francis. I bought the album on iTunes for the better quality and every track’s a banger, but the subject track is outstanding.

Thanks for the pointer, I sincerely hope that you’ve given his career a huge boost, because boy does he deserve it. In spades!

Regards

Peter Brentnall

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Yeah! Cool song!

Tom Hedtke

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thanks for the tip….great song and I love the horns….

Michael Rosenblatt

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Colemine put out the first Durand Jones & The Indications record and continues to release our 45’s, even Aaron Frazer’s solo with Dan Auerbach. Terry Cole has a great ear.

Dean Raise

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Hi Bob. Just listened to “Changes pts. 1 & 2” based on your recommendation. It’s… not bad! Reminds me of a watered-down Shuggie Otis groove. And to my ears, the horns sound like a simplified version of Stevie’s “Superstition” riff. Nice to see kids influenced by the classics at least.

But you’re right about the weak lead vocal. Then again, Shuggie had the same problem, no?

David Kovenetsky

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Killer!  Kind of a Bill Withers meets Floyd with the Memphis Horns, but totally original.  Thanks, you save me a lot of time.

John Brodey

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Great to see you’re on board with Neal – that album is incredible & he has the live chops to back it up. Had the pleasure of interviewing him about Leon, too.

You gotta dig into Karma Chief/Colemine more – you won’t be disappointed.

Mike Fordham

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Excellent…Thank you

Edmund J. Kelly

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Absolutely great track
Thanks Bob

Dennis van Leeuwen

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Good tune

Alan Fenton

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You’re right. Great great song. Refreshing.

Max Gunther

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Hey, Bob,

“…from Ohio of all places,…”

The key to honing your craft and art today is the same as it ever was: open out of town.

Larry Butler

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Changes Pts. 1 & 2 is so damn good! It’s electric and alive… and there’s so much analog warmth. The horns. The handclaps. He reminds me of Jim O’Rourke. And like James Gang. How is that possible?

Jason Maurer

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My ONLY complaint about this song is the horrible drum sound, Bob…of course, it could be intentional too.

Marshall Block

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Great recommendation!  Played it once – got it. Played it the second time – loved it.  Played it a third time – shared with all my friends.  This is too good not to be known!

– Brian Hobson

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A lot of the great Allen Toussaint in there for sure (the album especially)…

Frank Caiafa

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Colemine records is the newest “Daptone” records

Love, Peace and Soul

Dave Moskal

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cool tune! thanks for the tip.

i dunno man, if the “music business” has no place for this, those entities are making themselves irrelevant. as i get older, i catch myself wondering why i didn’t move to an industry town 20 years ago. then i remember why: “what, so i could be a fucking sellout??!” 😉 growing closer to your non-comm description by the day, speaking of making oneself irrelevant. luckily we’re comfortable.

jerry granelli’s thoughts to a young creative music workshop classmate of mine, who was worried about grants, social media etc: “don’t let THEM dictate to YOU what YOUR practice is.”

they can’t take that awaaaaay from me.

Ryan Brown

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I’m on the bus! From the first note of Changes I was hooked. Thanks for all that you do.

-Anastasia Karel

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Hi Bob, great discovery, I really liked Neal Francis “changes”,  a mix of “Year of the Cat” “green Onions” and a touch of Chicago like horns.  But this is why it won’t go anywhere, I’m 76 years old .

alan segal  san diego

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On your recommendation I spent the .99 on Changes Parts 1&2. I like the tune but I have to agree, a real singer would have brought it to life. Personally I think it is retro. It sounds like Billy Preston went down to Muscle Shoals in the early 70’s and did a record with Eddie Hinton. Nothing bad there but truth be told, Ray Lamontagne did something similar but way better with the tune Three More Days.

Irv Berner

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Thrilled to see you recognize Neal Francis, undoubtedly one of the brightest talents in music today— someone who, as you acknowledge, has the rare opportunity to bridge generations with SONGS (what a novel concept) that pay homage to the past while bringing millennials to the party. Is it possible we could have a new Master of Space & Time?

The only thing you have wrong is that the whole Changes album is a masterstroke, worthy of repeat listens. And just wait until you hear what he’s been cooking up in the pandemic…

All best,

Jesse Lauter

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Truly killer track, have been listening to it for a bit. You left out the best part (in my super specific opinion) – the absolutely killer bass line! Drives the song.

Lawrence P. Lander

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so sad you didn’t get into Low Cut Connie. “Private Lives” is a great tread.
but thanks for sending Neal Francis over. also huge Blues Brothers fan over here.

cheers

Alex Kuppi

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I couldn’t get through it once. Dullsville, not Funky Town.

Kevin Kiley

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I found Neal Francis right after tripping over Colemine artist Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio a few months ago. Fantastic. Colemine Records is putting out some really great stuff. Check out Pearl Charles on Kanine Records. Her new album “Magic Mirror” is retro-magic.

Rob Warden

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Oh, yeah — this was in my DW some time ago, and I listened to the whole album and liked it. But then mostly you forget to listen to it later, and it recedes to oblivion…

John Hughes

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You hit the nail on the head with Neal Francis. Francis is a tremendous keyboard player and the band is stellar. In fact his band also backs up David Shaw from the Revivalist. There are lots of these types of bands in NOLA right now. You typically can’t get a local gig without horns. Like you said, tremendous songs, but the voice is eh. Sadly, this type of artist only has a home in the jam band community these days. I can picture a young Robert Palmer circa 1974 (Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley) giving his songs the gusto they need.

R. Teitel

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I like Neal Francis “Changes Pts 1 & 2” as well.  Although I sort of hear the Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall Pt 2  guitar comparison you cited primarily in the lead guitar, do you know who he really borrows from arrangement/production wise on this one?  Harry Wayne Casey & Richard Finch.  He absolutely borrowed from them beyond mere chance.  RIght down to the organ pads (think George McRae “Rock Your Baby,” which they produced).  The drum part is reminiscent of that old track as well.  The descending horn arrangement line cops from the descending horn line in “Let It Go Pt. 1” by KC & The Sunshine Band.  There’s also maybe a little influence production wise from Commodores “Machine Gun” as well.  The point is: he borrows heavily, production wise, from classic Disco for this cool track, but mellows it out for an otherwise soulful approach to the song, vibe wise.

Greg Debonne

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I loved “Changes, Pts. 1 & 2” as well, from my first listen, but to me it seems more derivative of the Bee Gees. The rhythm guitar drives the riff. As for the Dr, John influence, I don’t hear it. There is a bit of Crescent City syncopation on the piano, but that’s all. I have had the pleasure of looking over Mac’s shoulder while he shredded the piano. As a New Orleans guy, I hate to agree with you that he is a better player than his material. But the real influence here seems to be the late, great Allen Toussaint, especially the horn arrangements. Allen was a dear friend and would let me play duets with him, experiences I will always treasure. Whether or not he was a better piano player than Mac is an old argument, but his horn arrangements are near perfection. Allen would have liked this song. I only wish I could have shared it with him.

Thank you!
Dr Bill Coleman

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Longtime reader, first time responder. Thank you very much for discovering & sharing Neal Francis.

I was almost one year ahead of you on the Francis adoption curve, as he was the final pre-Covid concert that I saw. Some buddies had seen him before and raved about his talent, but it was a Sunday night (March 8 to be exact). Even with our limited Covid knowledge at the time, it felt a little dicey standing in a crowd. By the end of the night, I was so glad that I had.

Francis and his band brought energy, talent and orchestration unlike anything in the current scene. It was seemingly lifted from the 1970s, combining Chicago type rock, funk, jazz and storytelling.

The venue was pretty small, several levels below The Fillmore on the SF scene, but the crowd was really into the vibe and you could tell Francis did not want to stop. At one point, late in the show he said there was no reason to stop because “tomorrow is work from home.” For many of us, that was actually true. Monday, March 9 was the first day of work from home and just two days before the Covid dominos fell on March 11 — Trump press conference shutting down European travel, Tom Hanks testing positive, Rudy Gobert of Utah Jazz testing positive, NBA season shutting down with citywide shelter in place following days later.

It always struck me that a touring musician made the “work from home” observation, but he was right. I am not sure, but I suspect that was also the end of Francis’ 2020 tour.

A few months ago, I pulled up Francis on Spotify and saw the “Artist Fundraising” make a contribution button. I immediately sent $25 to Francis. Like the entire music and broader entertainment industry, 2020 was not as planned — no tours, no encores, no loyal fans rewarded, no new fans courted. Still, the gift of that March 8 show was priceless. I am forever a Neal Francis fan, and so glad he crossed your radar.

I have joked with my friends that we never should have been at that show on March 8. There certainly had to be Covid in the venue. That was nearly one year ago, we are still working from home, there are still no shows, and I am so very glad that I discovered Neal Francis that night.

Keep doing what you do, all the best,

David Toner

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Check out Neal song “how have l lived” demo , came up on my discovery weekly as well. I had similar reaction to that song. Called his agent Josh Knight instantly to offer all my help

Don Strasburg