Classic Rock is the New Classical

i've got dazed and confused wailing through my speakers
vinyl
there is no difference in depth and meaning
between this song
and beethoven's fifth symphony
in fact it blows the fifth symphony back to the eighth position

classic rock is the new classical music
it's enduring
and selling
and more important
than any other music ever made

if keith moon ever met mozart
they'd get drunk
and then moonie would blow the frilly cuffs off mozart
with drum fills

bruce springsteen is a better poet that keats yeats or frost

david gilmore has a truer connection to the planets that holst

robert plant could've taken pavarotti in an arm wrestle

orchestras are losing funding
seats in symphony halls are not filling
styx outsells bach

they did an extensive study
they went to great lengths to find out who's listening to
and buying
traditional classical music
here's the answer:

janice snotwoggle (eels lane, wales)
lord leonard lickmore (earls court, london)
peter pzykaticunvyye (reykjavik, iceland)
michael white (toronto, ontario)
tippy titwiggle (perth, australia)
norman noseworthy (bismark, north dakota)

that's it!
6 people!
everyone else is listening to classic rock!
wow!

i keep trying to listen to jazz
but i never really listen
my attention derelict disorder kicks in
and i start day-dreaming about the next ac/dc CAL show

i listen to country music
but i never really listen
i find myself wandering into the tool shed to sharpen my axe

i listen to the music my kids are listening to
but i never really listen
instead i end up grounding them
and forcing them to listen to me lecture on the merits of the beatles
and how they saved the world

i listen to old music that old people like
but i never really listen
instead i get alarmed that it makes parts of my body shrivel
parts that i don't want to shrivel

classic rock is the new classical music
i know there's some purists out there
who would love to argue the point
they'd pull out charts
and cite historical references
and whatnot
but i don't give a damn
because that's rock 'n' roll

craig martin
october 31, 2012
bourbon

There's Something Happening Here

q107 just played bon jovi
followed by joni mitchell
cool

the queen band is tearing up ontario
the guitar army is charging forth fearlessly
and all the singers are becoming peacocks (sorry phil)

the landscape within performing arts centres is changing
a different view is needed
people are voting with their dollars
and they want classic rock
cool
that's good for the series

the stones band is starting to rub up against each other
being on the road together throughout the east coast is going to be telling
we've chosen a big group of songs for our outro set
with four shows under our belt
pulling into toronto
and performing exile at massey hall
is going to be heavy

having two new stops
one in north carolina
and one in florida
is amazing
the audience loved the show
of course it was the CAL beatles band
and they're surgical with their commitment to the music

lots of chat about south florida
and our lack of presence there
it's hard to just show up and play
so many things have to fall into place
i did connect with someone
a heavy music fan
with some experience in the business
we might do something together
it will be an event

lots of stuff going on with the alumni
everyone is keeping busy
within and outside of CAL
i love all the bands that have been formed
because of musicians connecting within CAL
we've also been responsible for a couple marriages
and some kids!
fun

leaves are falling all around
i'm in rake mode
i take the radio outside
and amass a pile of leaves
i find it soothing
all the while
i'm surprised at how much information
i'm getting from the radio
i was on the satellite kick for a while
but listening to DJs is the best

do they even get called DJs anymore?
i'm going to ask the gang at Q
maybe they could bring the term back

we're working with a lovely new singer
jenn kee
i get so many requests for auditions from musicians
it's humbling
i check everyone out
and always reply
jenn grabbed me right away
masters in music
loves classic rock
beautiful and easy going
fitting nicely into the alumni fold

to all the parents out there
who are deeply distressed about the music their kids are listening to
don't worry
one day you'll turn a corner
and they'll have some zep on
i've been researching charts
concentrating on the 70s
i know every song
some of them really don't stand the test of time
and there's a lot of fluff
but one day i put on houses of the holy
and it all changed

side note about the the charts
it's amazing how much stuff doesn't make it over the pond
to britain
they don't know a lot of our music
and we don't know a lot of theirs
except for classic rock

an exciting season leading up to the holidays
a bit of a scattered blog today
it has something to do with leaves

craig
october 26, 1976
tang and wagon wheels

CAL Q Massey Hall and the Stones

just back from a heavy meeting down at Q107 headquarters
i really like dealing with all of these people
their mandate is to make sure that more people listen to classic rock
yeah!

everyone i met with is a music lover
and they care deeply about what they get involved with
and everyone is getting involved with CAL

we're going to be building a circle
Q is going to be putting a CAL portal on their web site
and i'm going to provide exclusive content
cool stuff
like why exile on main street is an album that everyone should own
and some guitar and drum videos detailing what it takes
to play these songs properly

i've always been hesitant about social media
my knee jerk reaction has always been that nothing beats word of mouth
and while i still believe that
it's up to me to provide my info for folks to word of mouth with

massey hall has gotten behind CAL in a big way
they love the shows
and love the crowds
and mary is thinking forward and plugging us into Q's tentacles

Q107 is the greatest classic rock station in the world
meeting with them has always been comfy
they've been with us from the very start
10 years now
that's a relationship

and the stones
i'm hoping they return my calls
i'm hoping to help sell their new album for them
and rekindle a movement to make every music lover on the planet
own
know
and love
exile on main street

then the stones need to hire me as their music director
i'd be a taskmaster
and demand perfectly executed riffs
and vocal highs

but if that doesn't happen
there's our november 23 massey hall show
exile performed note for note - cut for cut

big things in the months to follow
optimism and hope spring eternal
once again i feel like things are just beginning

craig martin
september 27, 2012
grapes

Bono

just finished surfing the web
lost a couple hours reading about bono
he's living a life
and he's played quite a few cards
both within and without music

there's a lot of articles about his involvement in tech companies
and how they're not performing very well
and how he's losing money
and i'm surprised at how many people revel in that detail
but not me

i want everyone to be successful
and most of all i want bono to be successful
in fact
i think bono should assemble a team
and manage the world's finances

think about it
with him in charge
there would be no hunger
and vaccines would be made readily available
to those most in need

nations would be forced to talk to each other
and you know the after party would do more for peace
than anything the united nations has ever done

i want bono to oversee injustice
you know if there's some evil shit going down somewhere
he's going to be there
and broadcast it to the world
and the world won't stand for it
because people are good and decent

i can't think of anyone better to do this
i just finished watching weeks of politics on tv
we had a couple weeks off
i really enjoy watching tv when i get some down time
but i was itchy and uneasy watching all the sloganeering
and name-calling
and ironless promises

imagine if bono was up there
he's have his sunglasses on
and he'd eloquently tell you
that there's some babies in a faraway part of the world
that need some help
and dammit
you know by the end of the telecast
that there would be a ton of money going straight to helping those babies


he'd consult with people
open up dialogue
if things got heated
he'd take everyone down to the pub for a beer

bono would figure out what was most important
and get people working on fixing whatever was broken

jobs?
he'd invest in the arts and create an new economy out of roadies

you may say i'm a dreamer
but i'm not the only one
rock 'n' roll has lost it's footing
we need a man in beatle boots
to give things a swift kick up the arse
and punt away the dogma and rhetoric of egotistical politicians

bono knows ego
ego is go
people with ego do things
we've come to think associate ego as a negative trait
but i say the world is built on ego
that floats right alongside dreams and ability
throw in some heavy music
and you can save the world

craig
september 10, 2012
red wine and improvised pasta


ps: classic albums live performs the joshua tree in florida this coming weekend

Bruce Springsteen at the Rogers Centre

i'm such a fool
i still believe that rock 'n' roll can save the world
and i'm not sure
but i think
that bruce springsteen does too

the show in toronto was joyous
it was a testament  to the power of performance

i don't think bruce has finished growing up
i think he still wakes up every afternoon
and taps into that tiny part of him that still wants to be elvis presley
and we're all better off for it
because
alongside of his biting commentary on the decline of western civilization
we get a celebration of life
that's not an easy balance to maintain

people think that dylan has a biting social commentary
really?
where?
i'm a huge dylan fan
and i don't hear it
dylan is clever rhymes and cinematic images

but bruce is cnn
and he doesn't just talk the talk
he walks the fuckin' walk
and gets us involved
people were crowding to drop money into the food bank jars as we were leaving
it's always been that way

but enough deep thoughts
let's rock
because i like rock 'n' roll
the show was deep cuts
a true springsteen fan's set list
i'm fairly stoic at concerts
bordering on analytical
but i'm pumping my fist in the air
dancing
singing along
i'm shouting out song requests
we were 10 feet from the stage
i'm 16 again and love rock 'n' roll
this is as close to church as i'm ever going to get

it took a 5 piece horn section to replace clarence
i wanted braxton hicks to get the gig
because brax knows how to blow like the big man
but the nephew did an admirable job
and it was nice to see the blood line represented
the video tribute was touching
you stand beside someone on stage for 30 years
and the world becomes different without them
 (if you search the blog archives you'll find a piece i wrote on clarence)

little steven is spending a lot more time alongside bruce
at front and centre
james brown had the cloak
springsteen has the sponge
after 3 hours - he'd collapse on stage
only to have steven come over and drip the sponge down onto to him
he'd jump up revived and count in another
it was old school greasy rock 'n' roll entertainment

the show was full of humour
i was surprised at how much time we spent laughing
there's no fourth wall to break down
there's no mystery
no forced icon like status
backstage you know he's not slurping caviar
no
he's working out the chord changes to 'murder incorporated'
he stays lean and smart
there's no trappings
everything leads to the stage
and you leave it all there

you're sixty plus years old
playing in front of tens of thousands of people
for three hours and forty five minutes
and there's not an ounce of energy left to give at the end of the night
that's the way to live a life
that's how i define rock 'n' roll

craig
september 5, 2012
coffee

Massey Hall

do you like rock n roll?
because we're performing exile on main street at massey hall
on november 23
i know many of you don't know this album
but it's important that you run out immediately
and buy the album
it's a heavy record
with a splendid history
and it will enrich your life
i love second generation blues
i know
i'm a purist too
but i love the blues when zeppelin play them
and i love the blues when the beatles play them
but i especially love the blues when the stones play the blues
november 23
big band
big night
a great way to start off a new season in toronto

maybe you need more rock n roll?
then on  february 9
you want to slip into roy thomson hall
we're performing sgt. pepper
wow
we've done this show a lot
but there's something about doing it at roy thomson hall
i dunno
it gives me energy
i feel like something important is going to happen that night
and we're all dreaming of the second set
we call it the outro set
it'll be another beautiful selection of songs from the lads
that marry well with the hall
shivers

perhaps
you really do love rock n roll
and it's not just a bullet point in your self description
then you need to stop everything
and buy tickets for the march 1 dark side of the moon show
back at massey hall
this is the 40 year anniversary of the album's north american release
and it's also CAL's 10 year anniversary
that's a lot of numbers to fire up
rob phillips will be performing the show of his life
it's as though his entire being has been circling towards this show
his people died for his right to play
dark side of the moon
at massey hall
on the 40th anniversary of the album's north american release
on march 1
and we're planning heavy fun sneaky things for the show
it's going to be our thank note to our hometown for 10 years of love and support

it's such a great honour to be able to honour these albums like we do

craig martin
august 13, 2012
hard boiled eggs and lemonade

Leslea

the first time i met leslea
she was muscling her way into the queen rehearsal
2004
she insisted that she be a part of the album
she sang
and it was immediate
she's that good

we've had her on every album
she's worked so hard over the years
sang her heart out to thousands and thousands of people
and always a great performance
perfection
a true voice with captivating range

lots of girls say they can sing janis
janis sang every song like it was her last
leslea sang the show like that
she just kept going
like a train
note after note
tough hard edged screams
and then a little girl
alone in the spotlight

watch her on stage
her every movement
she's aware
she's aware that we're watching her
her hair afire
her hands graceful
born for the stage
seeing both beauty and bats in the lights

and she's smart
google smart
she's like a search engine
citing musicians in one breath
and historical events in the next

and she's beautiful
round and curvy
with innate stage attractiveness

and she's argumentative
like a diva
fighting for what she wants from a song
she's not afraid of the bumpy road
you arrive at respecting that

and she's the best
olympic gold medal best
one of the greats
twisting her voice around a song
with perfect clarity and delivery
i can't believe that she was never scooped up
and turned into a superstar

but that's not what it's about
the superstar thing
that's door number 3
rice a roni
one hundred eskimo bars
the real deal was about being the best you could be
and inspiring people around you
leslea does that
and it's an honour to work with her

craig
aug 9, 2012
bourbon (at the centre of contradiction)