2006-11 Vital Source Mag – November 2006
Chickenshack 101
By Jonathan P. Ziegler WMSE has always had a commitment to local music of all types. However, other than blues programming, the station never really had a long-term show that was 100 percent dedicated to roots music. The Chickenshack was started in the Summer of 1997 for the dual purpose of spotlighting historic/forgotten roots artists and providing a platform for local and up and coming acts to be heard. Over nine years later, the mission is still the same and the show is even broader in spectrum. The strength of the show is in its diversity. You can hear honky-tonk, western swing, rockabilly, bluegrass, old-timey music, blues, rhythm and blues, rock & roll, singer songwriter even a little folk and some soul from time to time. On any given Friday you can hear music ranging from field recordings of people who never even played on a proper stage to artists like The Cramps. To me it all fits under the roots/Americana umbrella. The show has been and will always be a key venue for promotion of local artists and for the club owners willing to stick their necks out and book roots music. I try to make the show as accessible for these people as possible. Whenever a new roots band starts playing out in the area I get an email or a phone call from them and I am thrilled to be able to help them with airplay and live in-studio appearances and interviews. Being a musician, I fully grasp the importance and responsibility of having a forum like this. Throughout the years the support that I have received from artists and fans of the music has been overwhelming. When I started the show, I would have never dreamed that it would have the loyal listenership that it does. I feel like a proud papa when I see the Chickenshack shirts and stickers around town. It also serves as a reminder that the listeners take this kind of music very personally – who hasn’t choked up when they hear a Johnny Cash song in the last couple of years? And the people expect a high level of quality in the music that I play on the show. I’m always looking for the best songs and best performances by the artists I put on the air and will continue to do so. I only wish that I had a longer show so I could play more music. Jonny Z.’s Chickenshack can be heard Fridays from 9 am to noon on 91.7 FM, WMSE.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
We sing in the car
By Lucky Tomaszek We’re driving out to a rock climbing place for my daughter Lena’s 11th birthday. It’s July but it’s cool enough to have the windows down to the let breeze in. Lena says, “Will you play that one song, Mom?” I smile at her in the rear view mirror and scan through to track four. “Louder!” she calls from the back seat. I turn it up and look at her again, eyebrows up in question. “Louder!” She laughs as I crank it and then she’s singing along at the top of her lungs. Her friends bob their heads and sing the few words they know. As the song ends, she calls out, “Again? Please!” It’s her birthday, so I indulge her and start the song over, singing along with the stereo and my daughter while her friends try to keep up. As we pull into a parking space I turn the stereo down. Lena says to her friends, “You know how some families play softball or go for long bike rides? It’s like that. We sing in the car. It’s what our family does.” I have always loved music, and when my kids were born I swore I was going to do my best to share that love with them. To be clear, I’m not musically talented, not in any way. I can’t sing or play any instruments. And I can’t dance. Don’t ask me! But I have a great appreciation for the musical talents of others and never tire of hearing new music. I have worked hard to raise children who are musically open-minded, as well. Family favorites When Lena was a year old, her favorite CD was Peter Gabriel’s Shaking the Tree. She would bring me the disc over and over and shake her wee-tiny groove thing to “Solsbury Hill.” Not long before her second birthday, she fell in love with the song “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” by Cake. Being an incredibly articulate toddler, she could actually sing most of the words, though she didn’t really know what they meant. Emma joined our family around the time Lena turned three, while I was riding a wave of chick music: Indigo Girls, Tracy Chapman, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan. As I danced through the house, Emma nodded along in her sling, strapped to my chest and laughing with me as Lena followed banging on empty Tupperware containers. Even at eight years-old, Emma’s favorite song is still Edie Brickell’s “Black and Blue.” When Jeffrey was born six years ago, I was on a kick of revisiting all of my high school favorites. Tom Petty played throughout our home, punctuated by Deee-Lite’s World Clique. Concrete Blonde’s first album, U2’s Rattle and Hum, Replacement’s Hootenany – these and so many more were passed down from me to the three kids, giving them a healthy foundation from which to start to form their own musical opinions. Musical evolution I will be the first to admit that it was hard for me when Lena, at […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Lucky Tomaszek
Willie Nelson
By Jon M. Gilbertson For anyone who loved Willie Nelson’s 1978 classic Stardust – the country legend’s first successful attempt to interpret truly great songwriters – the prospect of Songbird is mouthwatering. Not only is he taking on more contemporary tracks by the likes of Leonard Cohen and Gram Parsons, but he’s also getting assistance from Ryan Adams and Adams’ backup band, the Cardinals. While Adams often comes off like an arrogant prick, he does share key qualities with Nelson, such as a fondness for recording as many albums as he possibly can and a broad yet discriminating love for any music that’s good. Adams also produces Songbird unobtrusively, unlike some studio mavens (Daniel Lanois, for example) to whom Nelson has previously given relatively free rein. With the Cardinals alternating between sheer brawn and dulcet subtlety, and with regular harmonica player Mickey Raphael accompanying him, Nelson glides through a raucous take on Parsons’ “$1,000 Wedding,” a simple gospel-hush version of Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and a perfectly pitched waltz-time cover of Harlan Howard’s “Yours Love” with an easy grace unmatched by anyone this side of Tony Bennett. Adams and the Cardinals set up a kind of consistency on Songbird that allows a few of Nelson’s own compositions and even a new one by Adams, “Blue Hotel,” to sit well alongside the interpretations. If this album isn’t quite the achievement that Stardust was, and if Nelson’s voice isn’t entirely what it once was, Songbird still offers the sound of an American icon taking unmistakable pleasure in his craft, and using it on the art of others.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Gem of the Ocean
By Jill Gilmer During a 20-minute scene in the second act of Gem of the Ocean, the audience finds itself in the belly of an African slave ship, consumed by the sights, sounds and emotions of human bondage. Water literally pours through the walls of the playhouse, as if the theatre itself were crying symbolic tears for the terror and loss endured by a People. I emerged from the scene transformed. My experience paralleled that of the protagonist in Gem of the Ocean, the epic play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson. Gem opened at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre on Friday. It recounts the story of Citizen Barlow, a former African slave living in Pittsburgh in 1904. Tortured by guilt after committing a crime that led to a man’s death, Barlow seeks the assistance of Aunt Ester Tyler. Aunt Ester is a 286-year old woman reputed to be able to “cleanse souls.” Under her tutelage, Barlow embarks on a mystical journey to the City of Bones. This mythical place is a burial ground in the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of African slaves who expired on their torturous journey to the United States. Coming face to face with the grief of his past has a restorative effect on Barlow. He emerges from the City of Bones at peace with himself and empowered with a renewed sense of purpose for his life. Gem of the Ocean uses the rarely discussed topic of African slavery to tell an epic story of redemption and spiritual renewal. The genius of this production is that director Timothy Douglas invites the audience to participate in Barlow’s spiritual transformation as more than mere spectators. He dares to evoke a type of transformation in them as well. By the audience’s enthusiastic standing ovation, it was a risky gamble that paid off. As with August Wilson’s other plays, Gem of the Ocean explores the problems that have plagued each generation of African-Americans. It studies the psychological roots of internalized racism, drawing back to its origins in slavery. It’s a timely analysis for Milwaukee and other cities that struggle with the persistent problems of poverty, crime, anger and despair in the black community. Although these issues have special relevance to African Americans, they are presented through characters with which people of all races can recognize and identify. By focusing on the core themes of faith, honor, love and duty, August Wilson presents a story that transcends race and has the potential to unite human beings. The play suffers from two common criticisms of August Wilson’s work. It is exceedingly long – the total running time is 2 hours and 50 minutes. And the first act is, at times, painfully slow. But plowing through the first act is a worthwhile investment for the chance to experience the re-enactment of the Middle Passage in Act II. The relatively inexperienced cast does a commendable job bringing a familiarity to rarely-seen characters: former African slaves. Particularly noteworthy is the performance of Stephanie Berry, who captures […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Caribbean cowboy
By Catherine McGarry Miller + photos by Kevin C. Groen At 19, Montana native Michael Morton was a mosh pit punk who also briefly studied art in Missoula. “I’d be hard-pressed to tell you what I was trying to say,” he admits of his found-object constructions. “I was young and trying to make statements, but was probably naïve, misinformed and shallow.” Growing up in Montana, Morton experienced home on the range and its wide open spaces. He spent much of his youth exploring the woods near his Helena home, rooting around deserted mines and abandoned shacks. An avid fan of grunge and industrial music, Morton in 1993 joined the “Montana Mafia,” slang for the mass migration of young Montanans to Seattle for the music scene and city life. Having worked in delis as a teenager, he cooked to finance his clubbing. “I learned to work fast – whatever you do, do it fast. I had a string of deli jobs and never diversified my portfolio.” His first job in Seattle at a high volume kosher deli taught the unruly youngster a lot about interacting with the public and conforming to strict kosher dietary laws. Later Chef Walter Pisano of Tulio Ristorante took a very green Morton, with an admittedly bad attitude, and mentored him into a reluctant professional. “This was the real deal,” Morton smiles, remembering. “I had just enough experience to get in the door. I’d worked in such undisciplined kitchens. This was my first real professional kitchen where I learned technique, presentations and vocabulary: about quality in food.” Under Pisano’s tutelage, Morton’s long locks gave way to a military coif and he calmed down enough to learn his craft. Risotto was a real trial. “It’s really good when done correctly, but there’s no way to fake it or hide. The trick to risotto is cooking it very slowly and to never walk away from it.” The lessons Pisano imbued stay with Morton. “He said, ‘You should taste everything but you should taste nothing,’ which means that you should be able to taste all the ingredients that contribute to a dish, but nothing should overwhelm it. He also talked about the ‘face of food.’ Looking at a plate you should be able to see all the ingredients. Like in a sausage, each ingredient should be in every bite and in proper proportion.” Friend John Dye lured Morton to Milwaukee in 2001 to work at Hi Hat as a cook. “Brunch had the volume and intensity of serving people who were hung over and hadn’t had their morning coffee yet. You spend six hours in a 120-degree box and you’re either going to kill each other or have a really good time.” Hi Hat Executive Chef Matt Post introduced him to the nuts and bolts of the business: costing, inventory management and processing employee paperwork. This summer, DJ and Cassie Brooks, who’d worked with Morton at the Hi Hat, hired him on as chef of their own new restaurant, Good […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Cate Miller
Scissor Sisters
By Nikki Butgereit Ta-Dah, the second album from the Scissor Sisters, is highly produced, uber-stylized and no less creative and fresh than their first. The songs are kitschy, cheesy and overwhelmingly disco, but they work. The perky catchiness of Ta-Dah is undeniable. “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” is the ideal opener to an album that makes you want to move. The kooky drum machine fills and raygun blasts are a perfect complement to the song’s beat. Although Elton John is credited with co-writing and playing piano on “Dancing,” the second track, “She’s My Man,” also reeks of his influence. Just like with their self-titled debut, Ta-Dah features more creatively funky songs between the straight-up dance tracks and ballads. It’s this juxtaposition that makes the Scissor Sisters fun; you’re never quite sure what they’ll try next. “I Can’t Decide” combines a vaudevillian piano melody with murderous lyrics – one of the many odd contrasts that are fast becoming the group’s trademark. On “Kiss You Off,” Ana Matronic channels Debbie Harry in a tribute to Blondie in both sound and girl-power lyrics. Ta-Dah has an overtly sexual tone, sneaking raunchy lyrics into the peppy pop songs. Yet the bawdiness is balanced out by the sweetness of other tracks. “Land Of A Thousand Words” is tailor-made for a prom scene in an 80s movie. “The Other Side” is an electronic groove carrying a romantic message that’s at odds with other songs on the album. Ta-Dah reinforces the idea that the world will always need party music. And The Scissor Sisters are just the band to provide it.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Memory House
By Russ Bickerstaff There are only two people in the cast: mother and daughter. Mother and daughter have an extended dialogue. The mother is baking a pie. The daughter is working on an essay for a college application. The play carries along for just over an hour. There is no intermission. This probably doesn’t sound all that engaging. It is. Renaissance Theaterworks proves that something as simple as a conversation between two people can be solidly entertaining theatre with its production of Kathleen Tolan’s contemporary drama Memory House. The stage is set as a modest apartment. There’s just enough evidence of life to suggest a cozy domestic space, pictures and books adorn a small bookcase in the living room. Cristina Panfilio rests on a couch in front of a laptop. She’s playing Katia, a girl on the verge of adulthood trying to figure out who she is before she leaves home for college. Linda Stephens plays her mother Maggie, a clever, educated woman on the verge of being the sole parent in an empty nest. She’s divorced. Her daughter feels as though she isn’t living up to her potential. She’s afraid that when she goes off to college, her mother will become completely withdrawn from the world. The essay that Katia is writing brings up questions she has about her past. Her mother and father adopted her from Russia when she was a very small child. She’s recently been thinking about the country she was born in and her birth mother. Her mother tries her best to answer Katia’s questions but the answers aren’t easy. As the two talk, Maggie is making a blueberry pie from scratch. Performing from what appears to be a very lived-in set, Panfilio and Stephens develop a very authentic chemistry. Panfilio puts in a sympathetic performance as Katia. While Tolan’s dialogue is very intricate the role could’ve easily been read as a somewhat whiny teenager. However, Panfillo’s performance is very insightful. She never exaggerates the mannerisms of youth. Likewise, Stephens puts in a textured performance as Maggie. The role could’ve easily read as a 2-dimensionally wise old woman in many places throughout the dialogue. Stephens plays many angles of an aging divorcee who just might be settling for less than what she deserves professionally. Music choices are particularly clever in this production and flesh out the characters in an interesting way. In conversation, Katia holds a great deal of respect for her father, the college professor, but whenever he calls her cell phone the ring-tone that we hear is Green Day’s “American Idiot.” Every time he calls, we hear the rhythmic pop punk refrain, “don’t want to be an American Idiot.” Quite a few layers of meaning could be inferred from the character’s choice in ring-tone. Clever. Over the course of the play, Stephens is, in fact, baking a blueberry pie. The oven in the kitchen onstage appears to be a working oven. As Katia continues to put off work on her essay, her mother […]
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
Lloyd Cole
By Blaine Schultz Lloyd Cole and the Commotions’ 1984 debut album, Rattlesnakes, garnered a good amount of airplay (both on college radio and MTV) and press. In the years that followed, this competent record would be lionized as a masterpiece. In hindsight, the dude had a ways to go. Twenty-plus years and a dozen albums find Cole releasing another sophisticated pop album. Or mature pop album. Or literate pop album. Let’s just say that, lyrically, Cole comes across as pretty sincere… verging on humorless. He is content to merely litter the landscape – dropping hip, young urban references whenever he gets the chance. His jumbles of words come off like a blatant attempt to impress the listener. Covering Moby Grape’s “I Am Not Willing,” he sings of a romantic breakup: “I’m so grateful, no longer willing to have a home,” relieved that she gave him a reason to split. The very next song, “Slip Away,” offers this: “I propose an exit strategy… to slip into the ether where I belong.” Maybe only a true artist can blur the lines between woe-is-me and self-satisfied sneer. Maybe Lloyd Cole is that artist… Maybe. But a typical album is a good year’s hard work, so let’s not pitch this disc into the landfill just yet. Musically and sonically, the album is brilliant. The stylish arrangements build on Cole’s modern folk tunes, adding brushed drums here, textured keyboards there and even a richly impressive string section on a few tracks. Rhythms lean toward bossa nova, while subtle loops and delayed guitar riffs add to the palette. If you can get beyond the lyrics, Antidepressant would be perfect listening in a Starbucks or Barnes & Noble.
Nov 1st, 2006 by Vital Archives
