RANDY NEWMAN, YOU SLIMY LITTLE CRIMINAL
Last Thursday I wrote nice things about you. I take it all back.
In doing a little research I found out that crummy little creep lied to me, flat out lied, 40-some years ago when I interviewed him when his tour with Ry Cooder stopped in Albuquerque, at UNM. No room to tell the story here, maybe later, but I’m gunnin’ for you, Newman. Rock scribes never forget a liner note, let alone a lyin’ “rock star” (ha!).
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
TONIGHT! -- JAYDEE MANESS (here’s a find! and here’s why you need me and should contact the Pulitzer people right away, because you’ve got to be a pretty serious music fan to see this name and go, whoa! one of the best steel guitar strokers for the last 60 years, in a rare solo appearance in a chill country joint in Burbank, so here are some reasons:helped pioneer, with Gram Parsons who discovered him at the Aces Club in the City of Industry, of all places, the nascent LA fusion of rock with country, was on the Byrds’ landmark 1968 “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” and split, with bassist Chris Hillman, for the successful Desert Rose Band, toured and recorded with Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Ray Charles and many more, became a Buckaroo, and played on “Hee Haw” with Buck the first year, joined the famous Palomino Club house band, played on “The Dukes of Hazzard” for 7 years, backed Johnny Mathis, Clint Black, Sting on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show -- is that enough? ), 9 p.m., Joe's Great American Bar & Grill, Burbank, $?
PARADISE -- A Divine Bluegrass Musical Comedy (the Ruskin keeps me as a fan with another ace, fun production with some great original songs you’ll hum out the door but be careful about those lyrics in mixed company, solid to great cast with star leads both local and imported, live band, directed so well by our own Arts Commission chair Mike Myers), Fri-Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m. through Sept. 23, Ruskin Group Theatre, Santa Monica airport, $20-$35.
DAVID BYRNE (founder-frontman for the wonderful Talking Heads, Byrne has carved out one of the most interesting, creative careers in music-theater-letters-et al, he’s got a lot of ground to cover in concert but chances are good he’ll break some new ground, just trust the man, and ask him how his bike is), Fri 7 p.m., Santa Barbara Bowl, $49.50-$204.50, also Sat 8 p.m., Shrine Auditorium, downtown LA, $39.50-$149.50.
RECOMMENDED:
TODAY! -- ROCK LEGENDS -- The Lost Negatives of Michael Friedman (hurry now! run don’t walk, just down the street to the old Victorian on the corner of Main and Ocean Park, the California Heritage Museum, where this impressive collection of Friedman’s unposed photos of major rock artists like the Stones, the Band and Janis from 1969-73 will be leaving after Sunday to reside forever at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- you don’t want to have to go to Cleveland to see this, do you? didn’t think so -- what a story, lost track of the negs before he could print them then his wife walks down from their attic 40 years later with a box in her arms, “is this what you’ve been looking for and yakking about all this time?”), California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica, free for veterans and military, free Fridays, or $5-$10.
FARTBARF, Yaawn, Assquatch, the Fabulous Downey Brothers (you know what I’m gonna say: Fartbarf will blow your mind, move your body and tickle your ears, and ooo! -- twice in the same column I get to recommend an act that is certifiably UNIQUE and only 10 bucks, see also TOLEDO DIAMOND at Harvelle’s), Sat 8 p.m., Alex's Bar, Long Beach, $10.
Summer Happenings: The Greater Body (every once in a while there is something that looks so interesting I’m tempted to go even though I’m not familiar with any of the performers and this is one, also the Broad has a good track record for these sort of things, so here is the description from their website of the many artists, you judge and let me know, in case I don’t make it -- Chinese punk, post-punk, ritual performance, film, psychedelia and more: post-punk Re-TROS rocks the East West Bank Stage with special guests Xiu Xiu, MIIIA pumps out her rave-inspired beats, Daniel Collás, Juliet Swango and Jie Ma perform Collás’ original score to accompany Zhou Hongbo’s film “Lotus Ferry,” Asian Dope Boys celebrate the euphoria and psychedelia of Eastern religions, art, music and dance in collaboration with Aïsha Devi, who channels metaphysical research and ritualistic practice into an alternate club environment, Oculus Hall transforms into an underground Beijing punk club with back-to-back sets by FAZI, Hell City and Shave ‘N’ Shut, meanwhile Yan Jun presents work incorporating field recording, voice, feedback and his own body in response to the architecture of the museum, composer Ji Dongyong presents “Ban” for the 37-reed sheng, performed by Dai Zifan with electronics and live digital projections), Sat 8 p.m., the Broad, Santa Monica, $25-$30.
LIQUID KITTY PUNK ROCK BBQ!! (free hot dogs! cheap booze! five bands! including legendary Lawndale and beyond legendary Mike Watt & the Secondmen, afternoon delight! they’re doing it again, those Liquid Kitty boys at Harvelle’s, too much free fun and food on a Sunday afternoon), Sun 1 p.m., Harvelle’s, downtown Sanya Monica, free.
SALSA JAZZ ON THE LAWN featuring Orquesta Tabaco y Ron (10-piece big band from all over Latin America, free salsa lessons before the concert, last one of the series so bring the family, bring the picnic, plenty of room for all to stretch out), Sun 5-7 p.m., Gandara Park, Santa Monica, no cover.
THE TOLEDO SHOW (it’s right here! 4th St, downtown Santa Monica, every dang Sunday, it’s a unique show and how often can you say that, first-class concept, musicianship, choreography and it’s 10 bucks, tsk, c’mon people, what do I have to do, pick you up and drive you there and order your first drink?), Sun 9 p.m., Harvelle's, Santa Monica, $10.
YES with Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Trevor Rabin (can’t give my full enthusiasm to this but I’m sure this crew will do honor to Yes’s well-known songbook, a string of hits you love, you’ve got The Voice, of Jon Anderson and keyboard monster Rick Wakeman but I’d be missing the superb Steve Howe on guitar and of course to some of us it’s just not Yes without one of the great all-time percussionists in any genre, Bill Bruford -- drummers genuflect when his name is mentioned -- who was on my cable TV show in the ‘90s, Bruford jumped to King Crimson then restarted his jazz career in earnest), Wed 7:30 p.m., the Greek Theatre, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, $50-$150
ALICE IN CHAINS (I’m not a huge fan but I can see why some are, which means you must get to Amoeba by 4 at the latest, they can bang their metal hard then charm you with a ballad next song), Wed 6 p.m., Amoeba Music, Hollyweird, free.
GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC (c’mon, I don’t have to school ya on the Cosmic Masters of P-Funk, do I? -- sure it’s Santa Ana but how far would you go if you thought this was your last chance to stand in front of legends? did you catch Sinatra? the Beatles? George Jones? von Karajan? -- don’t say I didn’t give you a chance), NEXT Thurs 8 p.m., the Observatory, Santa Ana, $25.
BAND NAMES OF THE WEEK: Hawk Percival, Ambar Lucid, Bones Muhroni, Travis Daggett, Kishi Bashi, Emerson Star, Juliet Swango, Storefront Church, Them Evils, Boogaloo Assassins, Take Pictures, Sleep Club, Coma Girls, Empress Of, Puddle of Mudd, the Carothers Brothers, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Doctors & Engineers, Release the Bats, Wormstew, Yaawn, Napalm Death, Cattle Decapitation.
Charles Andrews has listened to a lot of music of all kinds, including more than 2,000 live shows. He has lived in Santa Monica for 32 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world. Really. Send love and/or rebuke to him at therealmrmusic@gmail.com
