Sweet Summer Sun Screening

I still cannot believe that I won! 

This week, I happened to be one of the lucky few fans to attend the premiere private screening of Sweet Summer Sun: Hyde Park Live, the new Rolling Stones concert film. When I entered the contest last week, I figured there’s no way I’d win. I never win anything. But on Monday morning I received an email congratulating me. I had no idea how truly lucky I was until we arrived at Universal Music in Santa Monica, CA on Tuesday night.

When we walked into the lobby, only a handful of people were waiting to get into the theater. I thought it was some sort of mistake, imagining that the Bob Marley Room would be packed with herds of other lucky fans. Instead, we found an intimate conference room set up with a large screen and comfortable office chairs. The winning fans, only 12 of us, had reserved seating in the front rows. The rest of the 50 or so people were members of the press and the marketing departments from Eagle Rock Entertainment and various other entertainment entities.

There was food and alcohol, but I was too nervous to eat and swigged a glass of wine instead.  At first I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t get over how fortunate I was to be sitting in a room filled with VIPs. Once the movie started, I relaxed in my front row seat and watched as the camera panned over the enormous audience at Hyde Park. It was amazing! The camera work alone was spectacular and the audio quality was incredible. It was really cool to see a Stones concert from all the different perspectives, including the bands’ POV.

The screening only lasted about an hour. They didn't show the whole 2½ hour film, instead selecting a few scenes. The most notable song of the night was “Midnight Rambler.” If you were lucky enough to recently see the Stones live, you know how mind-blowing it was to hear Mick Taylor join the band to play this masterpiece. It was just as powerful watching it all over again. I suggest you buy Sweet Summer Sun when it is released on November 12th. You won’t regret it.

I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to see the entire film. Until on the way out, when I received my very own Blue Ray copy!

Practicing Aloha, Stones Style

Favorite Songs

The other day I was out for a run when a Stones song came on over my headphones. This isn't earth-shattering news since I have many Rolling Stones songs on my playlist and chances are that at least a few will pop up. Predictable as it is, I’ll pick up my pace, run a little harder, and feel all-around more energized when I hear "Jumping Jack Flash" or "Honky Tonk Woman." I've listened to these songs for most of my life, yet they never fail to excite me. And it’s not just when I’m exercising. Hearing "Waiting on a Friend" play over the car radio always puts a smile on my face.

Why do we never grow tired of the songs we love? I asked seasoned musician and professor of psychology Dr. Kevin Volkan about this phenomenon. He said something that surprised me: “Research has shown that the emotions triggered by loved music tend to be negative. We listen to a favorite song and it reminds us of when we were lonely." This made sense to me since I’ve known people that have experienced painful break-ups. They said sad songs made them feel less alone. Other people have survived heartbreak and written songs to express their grief. In Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life, author Steve Almond calls these songs “depression songs.” He says that listening to a sad song allows us to access repressed feelings. “They articulate a preexisting depression and, when they’re really cooking, they ennoble that depression." They help us appreciate situations that would otherwise make us miserable.

I don't consider my favorite Stones songs to be particularly sad. Instead, they invigorate me. They make me happy, and I assume much of my appreciation has to do with personal taste. In addition to our attraction to sad or depressive songs, Dr. Volkan adds, "Of course there are also aesthetic considerations. I think we can also listen to music just for the art." Beyond valuing our favorite songs for the way they make us feel is the pure joy the music or song itself offers – the way Keith Richards strums the guitar intro to “Waiting on a Friend,” followed by the beautiful, melodic sound of a piano as Mick Jagger sings the opening sounds, “doo-doo-doo doo-doo-doo da-do.”

I’ve often wondered why I don’t become desensitized to these favorite songs that I’ve heard over and over again. Perhaps the brain triggers something physical when we listen to them. As any pseudo-researcher would, I turned to Google. Instead of scientific data, I found dozens of personal playlists,“10 Songs I Never Get Tired of” and the like. One of my favorite programs on Los Angeles public radio station KCRW is the guest DJ project where people, mostly in the entertainment field, discuss songs that “move and inspire” them. Each list is unique and the reasons for loving them as diverse as the celebrity DJs themselves. In the end, it really does seem to come down to individual tastes.

Whether my response is an emotional or physiological one, every time on turn on my music and hit shuffle, I hope it lands on one of my favorites.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: 50 Years of Satisfaction

http://rockhall.com/exhibits/rolling-stones-50-years-of-satisfaction/

http://www.antimusic.com/news/13/September/27Rock_Hall_Reveal_Details_About_the_Rolling_Stones_Series_Events.shtml#.Ukb8JmTuU8W

It Always Comes Down to the Stones

The other night I was watching Freaky Friday for the umpteenth time. (Don’t judge me.) Towards the end of the movie, the daughter, played by Lindsay Lohan, takes the stage at the House of Blues with her band, but because she is actually living inside her mother’s body (and vice versa), she has no idea how to play the guitar. In her attempt to fake her guitar mastery, she emulates the Rolling Stones – the only rock concert she (her mother) has ever attended. One of my favorite episodes of Mad Men is when the Heinz people enlist Don Draper to convince the Rolling Stones to sing "Heinz is On My Side" in a television commercial. These allusions got me thinking. When it comes to identifying the quintessential rock and roll band, it seems that it always comes down to the Stones.

The simple reason that there are so many Stones-related references in television and movies could be due to their longevity. Chalking up 50 years with no sign of slowing down certainly elevates any band to iconic status. Because they’ve been around so long, everybody recognizes their music. It’s familiar, and familiarity is comforting. For many of us, music triggers memories and emotion that many film/TV directors use to their advantage.

The Rolling Stones are the most recognized and the arguably greatest rock and roll band of all time.  Their appeal and emotional resonance could also work at the unconscious level. In the documentary Crossfire Hurricane, Keith Richard says, "The Beatles got the white hats. What's left?” he asks. “The black hat."

Perhaps Keith is touching upon the Shadow Archetype, the darker side of our unconsciousness. This archetype symbolizes the wildness, turmoil, and madness that reside in all of us. The Stones music, along with the band’s image, tap into our collective unconscious. Carl Jung argues that when an archetypal situation occurs, we feel an extraordinary sense of release. The wild, bad-boy persona of the Stones may have started as a marketing tool, but it has endured because we connect to it as a shared heritage of human experience, making them an ideal and effective pop-cultural reference.

Martin Scorsese seems to exploit this shadowy aspect of the Stones.  An obvious Stones fan, Scorsese frequently uses their songs in many of his films, including the darker scenes. One of my brethren from Shidoobee, an online community of Stones fans, pointed out Scorsese’s subtle use of the song “Let It Loose” in The Departed. A moody, slow song from Exile on Main Street, “Let it Loose,” for me, elicits a tender response. Scorsese, on the other hand, plays it in the background as Jack Nicholson smashes Leonardo DiCaprio’s already broken hand with a boot. Ouch!

Whether musical associations are lighthearted or sinister, when you think of rock and roll, nine times out of ten, it always comes down to the Stones.

Mick: Show Us Some Skin

The Rolling Stones seem to be hinting through posts made via Facebook and Twitter that this past weekend’s concert at Hyde Park may only be the conclusion of “this leg” of the 50 and Counting Tour. Like most Stones fans, I’m hoping that they will continue after a summer hiatus. If they do, I have one simple request for Mick Jagger: Show us some skin!

Recently I watched a full-length video of the Stones at Glastonbury. Viewing a video of the concert, as opposed to being there in person, I found myself focusing on the visual aspects of the show. The epic production of a Rolling Stones concert is a highly calculated one with extensive set and lighting design and costume changes, among other things. Mick Jagger wore several different outfits but ultimately peeled away jackets made of sequence and ostrich feathers to reveal a plain, long-sleeved black shirt.

Pardon my shallowness, but seriously. Mick, you still look great! Break out those tight t-shirts from the last tour and display your well-toned arms. I can’t be the only fan that wouldn’t mind getting a glimpse at your abs as you raise your arms and point into the crowd. Why are you covering up?

Unfortunately there’s been a lot of nasty press about the Stones being too old to rock. Mick Jagger will turn 70 at the end of this month, so perhaps there are some that think men of a certain age should suddenly wear more conservative, less-revealing clothing. Just last month I spent some time in Hawaii around a resort pool and saw many shirtless guys in their 20s and 30s sporting spare tires and looking soft and haggard. Youth does not automatically equal hotness.

In a commentary published in The Guardian, Hadley Freeman argues that, “casual ageism isn't ‘less bad’ than any of the other nasty-isms.” I agree with her point that the constant mocking of the Rolling Stones and other aging musicians and celebrities is nothing more than blatant age discrimination. The Stones may all be grandparents, but they sound amazing and are still rocking at their best. In addition, Freeman emphasizes that Mick has a fitness routine that would put most of us to shame. “Presumably those who are so grossed out by Jagger's age would like to trap him and put him on an ice floe, but sadly they can't catch him, as he's in such good shape and can outrun us all.”

Inspired by one of those beloved t-shirts is an excerpt from my novel Satisfaction:

Mick Jagger sang the lyrics to one of rock’s most famous openings, running to the front of the stage to shuffle, point and dance. He was wearing his signature tight black trousers and a red muscle tee. Ginny couldn’t help but notice the amazing shape he was in. Veins popped up from his muscled arms, and she imagined running her fingers across the sinewy collection of thick purple rivers flowing down to his wrist.

He was smoking hot. Thin and cut, he kept right on rocking the whole civilized world. Mick Jagger, iconic rock star, the world’s most energetic, enigmatic man captivated her. As Ginny looked around, she knew that she wasn’t the only one caught under his hypnotic allure. Twenty thousand hearts and minds belonged to him, if only for two hours.

Stop Blocking My View With Your Phone

It’s been almost a month since the Stones played the Staples Center, and it’s only now that I am able to reflect upon my experience. What a truly amazing show! It was worth every penny. Although I haven’t been around since the beginning of their career, over 50 years ago, I have quite a few Stones concerts under my belt and can honestly say that they are currently at their best. Yet, I've been hesitant to write about the concert since there are already so many reviews out there. Is there anything that I could actually add to the conversation?

I am left with one nagging regret. I made a huge mistake when I bought floor seats to a concert that I had been waiting years to see. If you’re over 6-feet tall, the floor location might be a desirable one. I, however, had to stand on my tippy toes the entire time and peek around, in between and over the shoulders of the more statuesque fans. Once in a while, I snuck up front into the aisle and had a direct view of Jagger or Richards strutting around the stage before I was swept back to my seat by the Gestapo-like security guards at the Staples Center.

I've had floor seats in the past and have always been able to see between the people in front of me. This time was different because everybody had their damn cell phones held out, up in the air, as they recorded parts, if not all, of the concert. Nearly half of the audience viewed the entire concert through the tiny screens of their phones. As they angled for the best shot, I had to rapidly maneuver to peer through jutted elbows and poke my head underneath armpits. At times it seemed as if I was trapped behind a solid wall of towering bodies.

Will somebody please explain why a person would view a concert through a cell phone. Why is it better to experience the concert second hand rather than seeing it with their own naked eyeballs? I don’t get it. Mick, Keith, Ronnie and Charlie were right there, live and in person. And, if you wanted to watch it on screen, there was a giant video display behind the band, showing a real-time edited version of the live concert.

Comedian Louis CK witnessed the same phenomenon at his daughter’s dance recital and urged parents not to block their own children out with their smart phones: “The resolution on [your] kid is unbelievable. It’s totally HD.” The Stones were merely a few feet away from some people, yet they chose to hold up phones in front of their faces and record movies that they think other people want to see. I've watched these amateur clips shared on Facebook and tweeted by enthusiastic fans. Frankly, they’re less than stunning and are not at all an accurate representation of the live concert experience. This is not how I want to see or remember the Stones, two inches tall, blurry with inaudible sound

Perhaps these fans think that their recordings will be the only way to see the Stones over and over again. I wouldn't worry though. If I know the Rolling Stones, and I think I do, the 50 and Counting Tour will soon be available on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital download for purchase at an outlet near you.