Those Memories Come Crashing Through...

In 1982 I went to my first concert of a real band, Air Supply. Yes, those wonderfully sappy purveyors of Carpenters style balladry that came to define adolescent images of romantic love in the early 80s. For a two year period they were unstoppable, casually lobbing one carefully crafted soft rock ditty after another onto the radio. Then the 80s really took hold and Air Supply had run out of oxygen, unable to compete with the macho power ballads flooding the airwaves. By 1986 Air Supply couldn't even muster a minor Top 40 hit.

Last night I wondered how Air Supply would fare 29 years after I had first seen them. Could Russell Hitchcock still belt out those soaring sustained high notes? Would they sound tired of playing the same 'ol songs for nearly three decades? Does their appearance at the Solano county fair signal the end is near for the Australian group?

It was a strong turn out for them in terms of crowd, the largely Filipino audience eagerly awaited the beginning of the show. Then the group hit the stage to deliver their message of love. And after a quick smooch between principal songwriter / guitarist / singer Graham Russell and vocalist Russell Hitchcock the band went off to the races with this set list (at least what I remember of it):

Even The Nights Are Better / Just As I Am / Here I Am / an upbeat song / Chances / The Power Of Love / A Little More Time / I think an upbeat song here / The One That You Love / Lost In Love / I think a song I didn't know / Every Woman In The World / Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

encore: an upbeat song something about a Big Idea / All Out Of Love

Air Supply kicked off with a rocked up take on their final Top 10 single "Even The Nights Are Better". Hitchcock seemed in clear voice, retaining a surprising amount of power considering how long they've been around. Right from the start Hitchcock's stage mannerisms started with pointing at the crowd and blowing kisses at them, he had not lost a beat since the last time I saw them. The band was energetic and filled with talented musicians, yet they had trouble throughout the night trying to pull off some hairpin turns in their arrangements.

Giving "Nights" a heavier rock edge made more sense as they led into "Just As I Am" from 1985 - a time period where Air Supply tried to rock harder (I use that phrase modestly, Air Supply never rocks hard). One of my favorite Air Supply songs, even though my most lasting memory of it was attending a youth group meeting senior year of high school and sitting in a circle on the library floor while "Just As I Am" blasted on the tape deck as our touchy-feely theme song.

The hits kept comin' with "Here I Am", more memories of borrowing my best friend's Mom's two Air Supply records back in the day. "Here I Am" also featured a big Air Supply tradition: milking the big note. When I saw them way back when they would stop playing before the big vocal note and not continue until Hitchcock felt he had enough audience applause to do it. Well, they still do that on almost every ballad. In fact, the pause was so long on this song that when the singer paused on "It's just no good without..." the audience began yelling "You! You! Yooouu!" before they resumed. Air Supply likes them some applause.

Graham Russell addressed the crowd, asking them if they were ready for a night of love. The word "love" is invoked with near religious reverence in the Air Supply lexicon. He then made one of several comments thru the evening of how beautiful a place the audience lives in. Next up was some upbeat song, you know the Supply gotta have those so it's not just one long ballad fest. At this point I was really impressed with the professionalism of Air Supply, these guys commit to putting on an entertaining show. Graham Russell does his waddling boogie dance, Hitchcock works the crowd, they give their supporting band numerous shout outs and let them strut their stuff. I was impressed by their guitarist with the Mike Reno headband, he wasn't a bad axe man. Nailed those soaring solos.

The highlight for my night was "Chances", a song I heard the first time when I saw them in '82 (it latter was released on the first Greatest Hits Lp). Such a great song. They followed up with "The Power Of Love" which is probably best known in the U.S. as a Celine Dion song although it was a remake of a Jennifer Rush song. Supply had covered this in '85 so they had a credible reason to perform it and it was rendered nicely. Their version is the one I like the most anyway.

I hit the head at this point and came back in time to see Graham Russell stand up straight like a soldier to a military style marching beat. My wife filled me in that Russell had performed a moving song about a soldier's wedding he had performed at. The soldier was later killed in action and the widow said their last words to each other was "A little more time".

Pretty sure another upbeat song happened next. Then Air Supply made a move that caused the crowd to go nuts. Hitchcock and Russell walked through the seated lawn area while performing an acoustic take on "The One That You Love". Cameras and throngs of people surrounded them as they slowly made their way around. Women were crying and shouting "I Love You!" right to their faces. Yeah, that sealed the deal. Air Supply owned this audience.

It was time to score some insurance runs, so Air Supply followed up with "Lost In Love". While I find it personally humorous, the concept that someone is "lost" in "love" like a person would be lost in a haze trying to find a way out, it is undeniably a monster in the soft rock catalog. And so many great 80s movie soundtrack memories to boot.

I don't remember if there was a song between "Lost In Love" and "Every Woman In The World", I was just going with the flow of the concert now and not keeping track of the setlist closely. It might have been band introduction, where we were told the names of Mike Reno headband wearing guitarist, Jersey Shore drummmer and keyboardist Amir. "Every Woman In The World" is another treasured Air Supply song that went smoothly. I really like the Love Boat / Fantasy Island view of romantic love this song has.

To close the set, Russell Hitchcock started a capella with "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" before launching into the full band version. This was the only song where Hitchcock's vocal skill couldn't overcome age as he had to take a lot of breaths to get through the long windy Jim Steinman penned verses. To be fair, Jim Steinman songs are built tough, tough enough to make Meat Loaf faint. For a reason I couldn't quite figure out, they did the 2nd verse twice. Didn't seem like an accident, maybe to stretch out the song? The band wound up the show and trotted off stage.

Shortly after, the group returned for the encore. An upbeat number ensued, something about a "Big Idea". Followed by band introduction #2 of each member 'cause Air Supply likes to get their props. Apparently Graham Russell really liked his 2nd introduction because he then gave Russell Hitchcock a kiss on the cheek. Then Graham Russell said this would be the last song of the evening, that they could not leave without playing this song.

"All Out Of Love" rolled out, the bands biggest and baddest hit. Yet another wave of gooey soft rock swooniness took over the audience (during this show I saw enough swaying arms in the air to fill a season of American Idol) and all was right with the world until...UNTIL...BLAM! A big ass drum solo by the Jersey Shore looking drummer two thirds of the way thru. The band left the stage while the drummer who I will now refer to as The Situation blasted through a thundering solo which was fine for what it was, by why in the middle of "All Out Of Love"? It was your standard epic rock concert drum solo that crushed all the sentiment out of the song, it was like watching someone paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa (OK, that metaphor was overboard but you know what I mean). The Situation then went to the front of the stage to throw his sticks out to the audience, like we're going to impress other people with a stick from the drummer of Air Supply (sorry, if you're not the original drummer Ralph Cooper I don't care). Like I'm supposed to say "Yay, you destroyed 'All Out Of Love' good job!"

As easy as it is to ridicule Air Supply (and it is easy...) I am at heart a fan of their music. And as a fan I have to say Air Supply delivers a good show, committed to creating an energetic environment to which people can feel their brand of ...er, love. I guess you can say (please, don't say it) they made love...out of nothing...at all...

Rating:

Cowboys And Aliens And The Crystal Skull

Yesterday I watched Hollywood's latest attempt at creating a big budget kitsch classic with Cowboys and Aliens. The movie definitely has a head turning title. Despite the nutty premise, the film has big stars (Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde and lots of other actors where you go "Oh yeah it's that guy!") and is directed by Iron Man Jon Favreau. My guess was to anticipate a fast paced plot, lots of running and shouting with explosions, you know the usual action stuff. I went in with the intention of not thinking about what I'm seeing and enjoying the ride.

To make a film like this work, it needs to have some kind of creative angle or sense of edgy humor to make the thing zip along. You can't buy into the story with any sense of realism, the central idea of the project is basically a Syfy channel movie on steroids. So it's too bad Favreau didn't get that memo, 'cause he directs this popcorn flick like it's Saving Private Ryan. The tone is mostly serious, nobody looks like they're having fun on screen (well, except maybe Harrison Ford but that's 'cause he's so awesome). Aliens don't get much screen time until the ending, most of what you get is the bickering of the townspeople who have gathered together to try to rescue their loved ones from the mysterious demons of the sky. Since the bulk of the film plays like a standard Western, the aliens aren't just intrusive they seem pasted on like the marketing tool that they are. It's like Favreau couldn't get the money to do a full on Western so he settled for making 4/5ths of one.

The Western part of the movie is solid, thanks in large part to that great cast. James Bond / Daniel Craig is no stranger to portraying the badass with no name bit and fits in fine. Harrison Ford is a blast as the hardened cattle rancher / ex war officer with a soft spot for little kids. Ford seems to relish playing this character and is the only character to generate a strong emotional reaction. Sam Rockwell's sensitive barkeep also registers strongly. Yep, all the actors pull their weight except for maybe Olivia Wilde. I couldn't tell if her acting was good or not since her character was so hokey I couldn't envision anyone doing it well.

Since the movie was more drama than fun, I had lots of time for my mind to spin its wheels. I began to wonder how Olivia Wilde's character managed to wear so much makeup in the old west, make up that doesn't run after getting soaked in water no less. Or how she got such a tight fitting frontier woman's dress, it was like the Tron outfit in a skirt. And why were the Aliens stuck with the generic outer space invaders playbook. Alien weapons that humans can only use in the presence of the aliens themselves (District 9). Creatures that capture people to "study for weaknesses" in the human race (every damn invasion movie but mostly thinking of War Of The Worlds). People kept in a zombie like state packed together in a room (The Matrix). A scurrying army of green armored creatures that can jut out attack appendages (Aliens, Starship Troopers).

Cowboys And Aliens isn't an all out bad movie, it just misses the point of its own existence. One that makes promises of epic battle storytelling and then bores you with the tales of the long trip it took to get there. Sort of like telling a friend you went to Disneyland and then spend the next 90 minutes detailing your car trip with pee breaks as the high points. Thankfully, Indiana Ford is there to bring back fond memories of Raiders Of The Lost Ark...or at least Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull.

Rating:

Mr Mike's High School Record Collection: April Wine - Power Play

I've been watching MTV30 on VH1 Classic this weekend which has been fun, except I was expecting to see music videos (since that is what MTV used to show). Instead they are showing mostly clips from their various non music shows mixed in with VMA music performances. It seems the memory of the channel itself has removed video clips from their past. I was going to do a post on my favorite music videos from the MTV glory days (and still might) but while looking for old clips to rave about I stumbled across a forgotten album: April Wine Power Play. So that's the theme of today's post. Let's see how many wine metaphors I can pour into this bota. Oh yeah, I know nothing of wine and don't like the taste of most of them. Master Of Wine I am not.

1. Anything You Want, You Got It

One of my favorite opening tracks to any album ever, this hard charging rocker is designed to light up arenas from coast to coast. The ultimate aperitif, it was easy to envision a field of raised fists held high when Myles Goodwin would ask "Do you want it?" and the audience would reply "Yeah!" I imagined this was an awesome concert opener, too bad I didn't get to see the Wine in action when they were in season.



2. Enough Is Enough

The Bordeaux of Power Play, this was the song most people heard from this record. Funny though, I didn't buy this album for "Enough Is Enough" but for the song after it. Still loved this song once I heard it, particularly the guitar part underneath the "You fill me up until I get enough" line 'cause it reminded me of pumping gas into a car. Oh sorry, I think I meant to say the decanting process. Anyway, the video is a fine tribute to early 80s variety with the band trucking and shouting on the CB for girls. Remember the CB craze? When we used to wear trucker hats and talk jibberish ending with a 10-4 good buddy or a cackling Burt Reynolds laugh? Glad I rewatched this video, all these years I thought the solo was by Brian Greenway (one of three axe slingers in classic April Wine) but it turns out to be Gary Moffet. (the third guitarist? Myles Goodwin. He sings. He dances. He does it all!!!). You know what would have made this video better though? An orangutan and seven gorgeous lady truckers. Left turn Clyde.



3. If You See Kay

The song I bought this for, a song whose video I saw on public television no less. They sounded out a dirty word, how could I not buy this?? My friends tried to tell me this group was plonk, I ignored them and was sold on the song / video that easily fit in with the Caddyshack / Fast Times At Ridgemont High varietal. Hard to believe this and Bryan Adams "Cuts Like A Knife" was considered racy by todays standards. When Britney Spears released "If You Seek Amy" my mind screamed "stop ripping off April Wine!". I say my mind because if I screamed it aloud I would 1) be considered crazy and 2) probably asked what an April Wine is. April Wine what's that? It's a Canadian rock band with a drummer that looks like one of WWF's Bushwackers led by a curly haired dude but that's not important right now.



4. What If We Fall In Love

It's important to let Wine breathe, so we get a nice ballad here not too far off from their big hit "Just Between You And Me". I like the song yet thought it was a verse section too long, sort of like a fine wine aging into vinegar. Good place for a ballad though, gotta play up the romantic side at least once when the other songs are about possessiveness and lust.

5. Waiting On A Miracle

This upbeat rocker I've been indifferent to so I'll use this space to talk about some other things April Wine. Like the album cover to Power Play. It shows a kid playing a video game (that for some reason reminds me of Tempest on the side of the box) of April Wine with Myles Goodwin on screen arms outstretched in rock and roll victory / ecstasy. So wait, you're telling me there is a video game and rock music together in the same place? (I used to love Tempest, wasn't very good and usually died a lot once the spikes appeared. Early round victories where you get to spin the control and watch the Tempest spin all over the grid on the way to the next grid was the best though) April Wine, you're talking my language. Oh, and one other visual note I'd like to say I was pissed when the fancy April Wine logo was discontinued on the following record (the mediocre Animal Grace disc).

6. Doin It Right

OK, I'm wore out on wine phrases. You win April Wine! Now they're doin it right...on the wrong side of town. Side 2 of the cassette took a little while for me to get into. So much work involved with flipping a tape over, you have to push eject and rewind and then play - I can't handle all this manual labor. Power Play was released when record companies were trying to push cassette tapes over vinyl records, so it was made in nifty blue plastic and emphasized the emblem XDR which meant expanded dynamic range. This is just before record companies went bonus track crazy in it's final effort to bury vinyl (bet those record boys regret that move now.) Oh yeah, back to "Doin It Right". Typical mildly rebellious rock and rollers bragging about rocking in a semi dangerous situation type anthem. It works, I like this jam.



7. Ain't Got Your Love

This song is cool, nice struttin piece of hard rock. This was my favorite song on side 2, just had a good groove and energy to it. You know as much as I like April Wine, I don't know much about the band members other than their nationality (Canadian). So lets see what I can find out about these guys that's of interest. Well, one thing right off lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Myles Goodwyn spells his name "Goodwyn" not "Goodwin" like I've been writing this entire post. That's good info! Guitarist Brian Greenway is said to be a computer enthusiast on the April Wine site and seems to respond on their message board. Did not know that either. Can't find any info on Gary Moffet, but hey I just found out he did the solo on "Enough Is Enough" does that count? Bassist Steve Lang according to the April Wine message board is a rich man working a corporate job. According to wikipedia, drummer Jerry Mercer (the Bushwackers looking guy) he had been both a cattle rancher and IBM computer programmer. That's some versatility.

8. Blood Money

"Blood Money" is one of two tunes I don't remember now. I'm playing it now to see if it's familiar, I might have fast forwarded past it back in the day. I think I did. I don't remember this song at all.

9. Tell Me Why

A good amount of time went by, decades maybe, before I realized this was a Beatles cover. This version is so slowed down compared to the original that I didn't recognize it. And that's not a bad thing since I like April Wine's take better than the Fab Four's. Has more of a I wanna say Everly Brothers feel to it, a pensiveness that I like. I hadn't seen the video before today, it's pretty funny, Nice slow burn joke even though you see the end coming. She's got the jack :)



10. Runners In The Night

Song two that I don't remember. Playing now...it's a decent hard rocker. Guess I was hoping for a fast paced whiplash guitars big finish.

Too bad I had jumped on the April Wine train just in time to watch them fall apart. The next album had the awesome "This Could Be The Right One" and that was about it. By the time we got to Walking On Fire there really wasn't a band anymore. There was however this video for "Rock Myself To Sleep" that tries to distract you from the lack of band members with some Heather Locklear inspired "sexy" dancing and extreme closeups of Myles Goodwyn's noggin.



April Wine was an awesome band, I think they might still be around with Goodwyn and Greenway so I'll say is an awesome band.