Thursday, November 03, 2016

Today's Blind Items - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly - The Bad - Anniversary Month

In contrast to yesterday's good, this bad happened fairly recently. I have probably seen several thousand bands play over the years. Anything ranging from a dive bar to a stadium. One thing a band learns early on is that if you have a popular song, you need to play it in your shows or people won't come to the next show. From a marketing, ticket selling, make fans happy kind of perspective I HATE when bands get all high and mighty about their past hits. They need to realize that even one hit wonders have made an entire career based off that hit. The way they did it though was to sing the hell out of that song at every show and make sure people enjoyed the performance of that song so much, they would willingly wade through an hour of songs they don't know. Why are cover bands so successful? They play songs everyone knows.

Madonna and U2 can get away with not playing every hit song you want them to perform and they hate singing because they have so many hit songs you like hearing and they like performing. It sucks for people who maybe want to hear their earliest stuff, but even Madonna will usually throw you a "Holiday" bone.

Not that long ago I saw that an old friend was playing in a series I enjoy seeing from time to time. It is a bit outside of LA up in wine country. Sideways wine country, not Napa. Got my ticket and e-mailed him to tell him I was coming and would love to catch up. I even offered to write up something if he wanted. This is where I knew something was up. He has always been a bit quirky. He wrote me back and said something about having a new record coming out in the fall and felt that if he talked then he would have nothing left to say in the fall because he had to center himself and place himself in some type of zone for what he felt would be constant demands for his time from journalists about said release. Not happened so far by the way.

The second indication that he had turned into some person he thought he was based on his past rather than his current was something I saw and heard a couple of minutes before he noticed me. He was talking to a guy and a very attractive woman walked up to our singer and they hugged and he said he was glad she could come. He then said to get him a drink. As she walked away the guy complimented the singer and the singer said, "I knew there wouldn't be anyone here worth banging so I invited her." As she came back to the table with drinks, he grabbed her ass. That was about the time I made my way over to the table. For a minute it was like the old days. We were both making a lot of money from each other and had a ton of fun, drunken nights together and he really cared about fans.

Looking back to those times, I guess I could see it coming. The band had big success for a couple of years. Modest success for five or six. He was always trying to use that success to get him solo success. It has never happened. Not even close. He makes his living by living off what he and the band did whether he wants to admit it or not.

Show time. The people there were expecting one thing. What they got was completely another. What started out as excitement became people looking at their watches wondering when this was going to end. One solo song after the next. No one knew one word to any of the songs. There is nothing wrong with his talent or his songwriting. He just is so into himself now that he can't fathom why people don't love his songs. He forces them on the audience. There is this attitude much like The Goopster. If you don't like this, than there is something wrong with you and it is not my fault.

There was actually an intermission and I went up to him and said he should play a few of the band's songs. He had to get the audience on his side. I knew there was no way he would sing their biggest hits. I suggested a couple that fans would love and maybe he would play those. He said he would think about it.

Back to playing and boring the audience. Finally after another 30 minutes of solo ego boosting he asked the audience for a request. They would call out a song name and he would say no. Ten straight times maybe. He finally picked one. It was an obscure song from one of their worst performing records that no one but the most ardent of fans would ever know. He just didn't get it.

His ego won't let him accept the fact that the band's success allowed him to be playing there solo that night. All he had to do was throw in one band song for every four solo songs. That would have made the audience happy and would have kept them involved and more responsive to the solo efforts.

After the show I actually heard him tell the woman he brought how amazing he was that night. Nope. Things are so ego driven with him right now that he won't even mention the band in promos for shows. It is all about him. I didn't look at his tour rider for that night but I bet it was extensive and pretentious. I'm sure most of it was ignored, but he would get great satisfaction just knowing it was written for him.

I don't care of he gets the band back together. He was just an up close and personal reminder that fame can be an ugly thing. You get it in your head that you are bigger than the show or franchise or band. That you are the reason for success and no one else. The lesson that you are not, can be a hard lesson, and in this case, one that may never be learned.

64 comments:

  1. sandybrook3:15 AM

    Bret Michaels?

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  2. MontanaMarriott3:16 AM

    Have no clue but I agree with you Enty, nothing pisses me off more than seeing an artist and their concert is all new obscure crap. Even the real LEGENDS whose concersts I have attended will sing songs from their new album but give you a couple of classic hits from back in the day.

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  3. sandybrook3:20 AM

    Anyone remember the song Garden Party by Rick Nelson? He was playing an oldies show for WCBS_FM and people came to hear Ricky Nelson songs, but he didn't play them just his new stuff and got booed off the stage. And that song is about that.

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  4. 100% agree. Even Prince, who had thousands of songs and is extremely talented and probably never had to, but would still, as Enty put it, throw the audience a bone.

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  5. He was my first thought too...then Axl Rose came to mind, but not sure the status of GnR.

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  6. Guesser3:42 AM

    Is it possible that the singer won't play some of the songs because of a lawsuit? Some of the lawsuits are strange, The Dweezil Zappa case where he claimed his younger brother and sister wouldn't allow him to use his Father's name to promote his tour. Doesn't make sense that he won't perform any old songs if he wrote them.

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  7. sandybrook3:46 AM

    Axl plays with both versions of GnR and has been doing the singing for AC/DC don't think he has done solo stuff.

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  8. Zilla13:47 AM

    Has David Lee Roth done any solo appearances at any recent festivals?

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  9. sandybrook3:50 AM

    I also thought this could be Steven Tyler because he is trying to move into country music but the description of the band's success doesn't seem to fit. Aerosmith was more successful than that.

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  10. Sunshine Daydream3:51 AM

    Don Henley in Santa Barbara?

    http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/don-henley/2015/santa-barbara-bowl-santa-barbara-ca-2bf418e2.html

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  11. Oh wow. I didn't know AR was singing for AC/DC.
    I can see that. Yea. I can totally hear him singing AC/DC tunes. Good for him.

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  12. Oh wow. I didn’t know AR was singing for AC/DC.
    I can see that. Yea. I can totally hear him singing AC/DC tunes. Good for him.

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  13. oops meant to hit reply to sandybrook

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  14. Sunshine Daydream3:54 AM

    I looked at recent concerts of his over the last year, and he plays almost a full Poison set with a GnR and Lynard Skynard cover. So I don't think it is him.

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  15. Ms. Anne Thrope3:55 AM

    Concert series will be Live in the Vineyard up in Napa. Hmmm... Rob Thomas? Although he seems like a nice guy.

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  16. Guessing4:00 AM

    I have no idea...but, think this blind serves as evidence of my theory that Enty is not an attorney, but a PR exec, ie, "I even offered to write something up about it." Anyway, couldn't let it pass, because I'm that kind of person...

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  17. Guesser4:07 AM

    @Anne Thorpe,seems like is always the problem. Some people guessed him as the wife beater yesterday, and he has admitted to having issues with depression, which might cause other issues.

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  18. peopleselbow4:14 AM

    Damn the music guesses here are awful.


    Glenn Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket

    OR

    Chris Robinson from Black Crowes

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  19. Sunshine Daydream4:15 AM

    Not in Napa. Blind says Sideways area which is Santa Barbara County.

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  20. About 20 years ago, when we first moved to Las Vegas, I worked part-time as a concession manager at MGM Grand.

    Bob Dylan and Paul Simon were playing this particular night.
    Paul was the opening act and played a serious of songs from back when and now. He was pretty good.

    Then, Bob Dylan came on and only played songs that were current. He didn't play anything from back when.

    Plus, he was so awful. After one song, he announced that he had a surprise "...for those who were still there."

    With that, I had to go look.

    The arena was more than half empty -- like maybe 1/3rd. And, Bob continued to play only his "new" songs.
    Worst concert I had ever heard (since i was 99% of the time in the concession stand).
    I thankfully didn't have to watch his demise.

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  21. loopymommy4:18 AM

    "Up Close and Personal" is the name of the 2012 Guns and Roses your.

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  22. loopymommy4:19 AM

    Sorry, I meant "tour." FU, autocorrect.

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  23. Guesser4:30 AM

    Ed kowalczyk of Live. He tried to get paid a lead singer fee from the band, and they broke up, suing each other for years. Known ego maniac, used to be known as being nice. His solo work is mostly acoustic, and he doesn't like to promote the band, who have a new lead singer.

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  24. Verbal Kint4:34 AM

    Henley has a solid solo career. He could play anything from End Of The Innocence and his fans would be thrilled.

    I was thinking Stephen Tyler like SB. A friend went to his solo concert and hated the songs, loved seeing him, not the music. This is a friend who flies around the country to see Aerosmith, so it takes a lot for her to say she didn't care for it. Plus he's playing intimate locations solo, yes?

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  25. longtimereader4:34 AM

    All the times i have seen the cure live they have never played my fave 'charlotte sometimes' but they have so many great songs it never really mattered.

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  26. Shorny4:54 AM

    Bon Jovi?

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  27. Pink Escada4:59 AM

    This is not the answer, but someone who went to a Billy Joel concert recently told me that he sang mostly unknown songs and the concert was terrible.

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  28. Shorny5:16 AM

    Creed?

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  29. The Peach5:50 AM

    I don't think it's Glen Phillips from Toad; my buddy just saw them and said he played some old stuff.
    I'd be sad if it's Ed Kowalcyk from Live.

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  30. Steve Perry of Journey, for the love of strange medicine tour, 1994, santa barbara

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  31. Guesser7:33 AM

    @The Peach, I did check recent playlists from Ed And he played all of Throwing Copper. If it was during the lawsuit a couple years ago, could be him.

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  32. SweetPickle7:48 AM

    Adam Duritz, Counting Crows. The last concert they played in Upstate NY was absolutely terrible. He didn't play any known songs. It was all his own stuff and most people walked out.

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  33. back again7:59 AM

    My first thought was Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins but only b/c he's a HUUUUGE Chicago Cubs fan & so i figured that Enty was reminded of him by the Cubs winning the World Series,lol.

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  34. back again8:01 AM

    imo,i think his solo stuff is easily just as famous as his Eagles stuff.

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  35. Derek Harvey8:28 AM

    The Goo Goo Dolls?

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  36. Bela Mac9:02 AM

    Chris Cornell

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  37. Was MV ever revealed? Did I miss it?

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  38. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter11:13 AM

    That setlist contains many hits

    @Sunshine Daydream in case this reply doesn't show up in the right place

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  39. texasrose11:38 AM

    Never go see Dylan. This is his SOP. He always is working on something new which sucks.

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  40. Robert Smith's voice live is beautiful, and clear as a bell.

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  41. SarcasticBimbo11:52 AM

    This just screams Scott Stapp to me.

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  42. back again12:21 PM

    no but i thinks it's just down to J-Lo & Britney now.

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  43. Saffron12:35 PM

    Adam Duritz Counting Crows is my guess. Even in their prime AD would mess with the tempo of songs. It was so infuriating. I saw them a few times then realized this was his schtick. Plus he dated CC and JA so he thinks he's somebody.

    Saw Chris Cornell and he is amazing. Does Soundgarden, does covers, even did some Temple of the Dog, plus new stuff. Definitely not him...

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  44. Stephan Jenkins--Third Eye Blind

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  45. Rocker2:16 PM

    Tales from the tavern could be the series.
    https://talesfromthetavern.com/artists/

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  46. Zilla12:28 PM

    I don't think this is Henley at all. I have no idea why AGC is saying it is, but I expect that to change (they have changed a few of their answers within days of posting them)

    I saw him in September at Coney Island and he not only played every hit he'd had, he played at least 7 Eagles songs..major hits (Life In The Fast Lane, Hotel California, One Of These Nights, Best Of My Love, Desperado) as well as two lesser known but well loved favorites.

    I also saw him at the Beacon a year ago when he was promoting the album he had just put out at that time (Cass County is excellent) so of course he was going to play more from that album. He still played the majority of his solo hits with the exception of Susnset Grill. At Coney Island, he played EVERYTHING. He didn't really play any Eagles in his solo shows, AFAIK, until after Glenn Frey's death.

    Don has also made it very clear in interviews how he tries to give the audience the songs they paid to come hear and from the shows I've seen, he delivers. He also seems quite devoted to his wife. This ain't him.

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  47. Zilla12:36 PM

    Not to mention, "He was always trying to use that success to get him solo success. It has never happened. Not even close." does bot in any way apply to him.

    Two solo Granmmys and numerous solo Grammy nominations, 3 multiplatinum albums.

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  48. Zilla12:38 PM

    He's said that he gets bored playing the same old same old and tries to change it up. But Piano Man is his concert bread and butter.

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  49. I would back that it's Adam from CC or Chris Robinson. I really didn't like the way Adam did his sets this year, the talk style he is doing is horrible, and he tore apart each song we knew. Chris Robinson couldn't be bothered to play his hits until encore. He gave us one. They both enjoy smelling their own smug farts, imo.

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  50. Yingnyang5:35 PM

    MV... Sia *cough* new clue

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  51. @back again - thank you
    @yinandyang - the MV blind has been around for ages but does Sia have something to do with it?

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  52. Zilla112:15 PM

    As I thought would happen, AGC removed Henley as the answer, the blind is now unsolved.

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  53. back again1:05 PM

    @Zilla1, I just came back on to tell you that---it was soooo off-base.I've seen Henley numerous times & he always plays some of the ol' faves...& that setlist from Santa Barbara totally countered the entire Blind....guess they'll have to falsely put it on some other poor musician now! smdh...bad.

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  54. Tricia132:26 PM

    Darius Rucker /Hootie & The Blowfish.
    Solo career touring 2007,2008

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  55. X-Factor5:18 AM

    Chris Robinson seems probable -- recent setlist had no Black Crowes: http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/chris-robinson-brotherhood/2016/lincoln-theatre-raleigh-nc-4bfab76a.html

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  56. back again9:26 AM

    I thought of him too esp.after seeing him at the CMAs but i gotta tell ya,I've seen him more than once & he's very interactive w/crowd & when he was doing his Country solo stuff,he was VERY VERY clear that his new stuff was what he was concentrating on...when people asked for a couple of Hootie hits he smiled & played some Hootie stuff & it was obvious that he'd already planned on playing them anyway...i guess in short,he wasn't a d*ck.

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  57. Guesser10:39 AM

    The Chris Robinson or Adam Curtis guesses are the best. Has either of them played the Santa Barbara area recently? They think they are bigger stars than they are because of who they dated/were married to. Neither had big hits solo. Both are ugly and can only get hot women because they were famous musicians.

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  58. Guesser10:57 AM

    Stupid auto correct changed Adam's last name didn't even know it. Going with Chris Robinson, a real jerk who is being sued by the other hand members, including his brother. Many fan complaints about his shows, I guess he got a lot of money from Kate.lol. Adam from Counting Crows is still thought well of,and has enough sense to play a couple hits.

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  59. Scallywag3:27 PM

    I went to a Billy Joel concert this summer and it was fantastic. Set list:
    Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)
    My Life
    The Entertainer
    Vienna
    The Downeaster Alexa
    The Longest Time
    Movin' Out
    Goodnight Saigon
    Allentown
    New York State of Mind
    I Go to Extremes
    She's Always a Woman
    Don't Ask Me Why
    Sometimes a Fantasy
    The River of Dreams
    Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
    Piano Man
    Encore:
    We Didn't Start the Fire
    Uptown Girl
    It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
    Big Shot
    You May Be Right
    Only the Good Die Young

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  60. I second this.
    http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/third-eye-blind-why-we-angered-cleveland-republicans-w430107

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  61. XipeToltec7:26 AM

    Temecula wine country in the Inland Empire is sideways to LA. Pachenga Casino hosted a Slash concert in 2015. I have never seen anyone fuckable at an indian casino (including myself) and Slash's fight with G&R got pretty ugly. It's Slash.

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  62. XipeToltec7:35 AM

    http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/6605643/slash-talks-new-material-touring-myles-kennedy Here he is talking about playing the entire new album in concert: In fact, Slash and the band recently played the 17th and final selection from the album -- "Iris of the Storm" -- in concert, completing a full sweep of World On Fire. "We played the obvious single first and then we'd go, 'Let's try this one, let's try that one, on this leg let's try two more' and that's just sort of the way it works out," Slash says. "You sort of put a little bit of time into rehearsal before every tour leg, but we're talking about a couple of days, so you're going to incorporate the easy songs first. The ones that are hardest to perform live always end up being towards the end."

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  63. Guesser8:43 AM

    @Xipe Toltec , The blind calls the person a singer several times,Slash is not the lead singer in any of his side projects. They also have been fairly successful.

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  64. Misspriss6:09 PM

    I think it's Adam durwitz from cc. I Z really heard someone call into Howard Stern to complain about them not ever playing hits and changing the words and tempo of thei popular songs when they do. The complaint was just about a month or so ago when this would have been written.

    I thought of Brandon flowers for a minute but he plays killers stuff all the time and is awesome live. He also still tours with them so I don't think it's him.

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