Metal Leaves Studio

Best song on the ♔ album.

The Kings of The Palace, Jay-Z and Kanye West [aka: the Throne] have announced their 'Watch the Throne' tour. 

Opening night of the tour begins in Detroit! The show will most likely sell-out in fifteen seconds- a conservative estimate.


An afterthought: the best collab will still have to go to Dylan & the Band. Sorry- can't top the Basement Tapes. 

YES performed the other night.

Steely Dan was in Detroit as part of their Shuffle Diplomacy Tour, presenting themselves as the Jazz-Rock Ambassadors to the Galaxy. They chose to perform at The Fox, a gem of a structure that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The opulence of the theatre offers a stark contrast to the homeless people sleeping on the street as you enter downtown. Talk about 'Show Biz Kids'- which, incidentally, did make it onto the setlist that night.

A suited-up doorman, sporting a tophat and tails, greeted patrons as they arrived at the Steely Dan show. He valiantly opened the heavy golden doors, flanked by gryphons, which led to the visual wonderland that is the Fox. 

The band which accompanied The Dan on this tour was the Miles High Big Band, featuring The Embassy Brats as back-up singers.  To create denouement, the band set the mood for the impending Steely Dan performance by opening with 'Dizzy's Bidness,'  which seemed to last forever but did build anticipation.

Finally the duo themselves entered. Donald Fagen sat down at his keyboard, while Walter Becker stood steadfast with his bass guitar. They drew the audience in with 'Aja,'  followed by 'Black Friday'- all standard fare for a Steely Dan show these days. When the notes fell for 'Hey Nineteen,' the crowd seemed delighted, and sang along enthusiastically, albeit off-key.

Any major dude will tell you that there were no surprises as far as the setlist was concerned. To remedy that situation there are the select 'Special Setlist'  shows peppered throughout the tour which include both Rarities! and Request Night!

Surprisingly, the voices of Becker and Fagen were in league with the studio sessions. With Fagan behind the obsidian shades and a hefty keyboard, there wasn't much hyping the crowd, but the Steely Dan audience does not expect Jumpin' Jack Flash. The music is entertaining enough.

Please note> Photographs from concert published elsewhere.

Guess who will be in town tomorrow, and it's not Lil Wayne
[he'll be here next month]

Earlier this week, Yes released their first album in over a decade, and are currently in the middle of a nationwide tour with Styx. Christopher Squire took some time from his non-stop schedule to speak with me about the evolution of Yes, what makes their shows stellar, and reuniting with Jon Anderson.

When Yes was touted as 'the next supergroup' in 1969- did you, at the time, think it was true?
[Laughs] I hope so. God- That seems so long ago- yes. We obviously got a lot of success is the seventies and we ended up playing a lot of very big shows around the US. So we did sort of achieve that status, I guess.

How does it feel to be performing most of your life?
I just feel very lucky that I have been able to earn a living at something that I really enjoy.  And I am very grateful to all of the fans that have stuck with us since our beginnings, and a lot more who have joined along the way. Without them, I wouldn't be able to still be playing. Fortunately a lot of people come to see us still and I'm very grateful for that.

I saw Yes on the opening night of the 'Talk' tour. It was the greatest concert I have ever seen. What makes your live shows so outstanding?
[Laughs] I don't know, but I'm glad you had a good experience. I guess a lot of it must be luck, in a way.  The fickle finger of fate has pointed at me and said 'you can do this for your living and have a good time as well,'  because of course, music is its own reward. Especially when music is played really well by a bunch of guys that enjoy playing together- it's a great feeling to have and that brings great satisfaction in life.

How have you maintained mass appeal which spans generations?
I don't know that there's one definitive answers to that. There have been quite a few changes of personnel in the band, over the years, and, in a way- that has possibly helped Yes keep developing in various directions and come up with some new ideas when new members have joined. We've been fairly flexible and able to move around. And once again, as I've said, it's just great that 43 years after the band started, that we're still here and people want to see us. We're very happy that we just made a new album of new material which we haven't done for quite a few years, for various reasons, and which has been very well received by the press and the fans alike.

What were your influences, musically and otherwise for your new album, Fly From Here?
I don't think any thing particularly was an influence. Yes had an album in 1980 called Drama, which also had some of the same personnel involved in that. Geoff Downes was playing the keyboard and he has rejoined the band for this album, the Fly From Here album. He brings his covers with him, his keyboard covers- that influences the way the music sounds; and Trevor Horn producing, who was the singer on that Drama album, and then he was the producer of the 90125 album. He's part of the Yes alumni really. He was producing this new album and of course- he has a big influence because he's a very strong producer. So with all of us putting our heads together really, that's how we've come up with this new thing.

Who wrote the lyrics for the new album?
Oh we all shared in that. I wrote some of the lyrics, and Steve Howe, our guitar player wrote some lyrics. Trevor Horn also wrote some of the lyrics for the album. Then there were other songs where we wrote the lyrics all together- it's pretty much a shared experience. 

How has the group dynamic changed since Benoit David became the lead singer for the band?
It's changed in a good way. I think Benoit has done a very good job on the new album of being the lead singer; the actual process of making the album was very smooth with him. Of course I was hoping that Trevor Horn was going to like him because this was the first time they were going to work together and I was most nervous that that wouldn't work. Not for any particular reason- but thankfully they got on very well and Trevor enjoyed working with Benoit and I think the truth comes out in his performances, which sound very good. It's been a successful pairing.

With the band's frequent line-up changes, how have you managed to stay involved since the beginning?
I have a standard answer for that: and that's more by default than by design. I mean, I seem to have just been there, in the band, and while various other members have gone off to do solo careers, as in Jon Anderson, and Rick Wakeman; both of those guys have come back and left a couple of times, to go off and do other projects... Alan White, the drummer, has been there since 1972 as well. So Alan and myself have stayed together and people have left and rejoined and that's really been the history of Yes.

Have those constant changes ever affected you musically?
Well- yeah, of course- they have. I think I said earlier, when new people come in, they usually come in with some fresh ideas, which then tends to sort of keep the Yes name alive because we've got some fresh approaches to things, with different musicians. So we've, in a way, survived as long as we have, probably because of the changes.

If you could reformulate Yes with any musicians, who would you choose for the line-up?
[chuckles] Well- I'm just going to say the current line-up is working for me just fine at the moment. I hope that we can spend the next couple of years touring around the world, with the Fly From Here album and then we'll put our heads together and come up with another new album with the same team- I really hope that happens.

How do you feel about Jon Anderson, [after listening to your new single] saying in a Rolling Stone interview, "I wasn't really convinced,"  "The new singer is singing good, but it sounded a bit dated to me. Also, the production wasn't as good as I expected. They've got a great producer with Trevor Horn, so what the hell are you doing?" 
Well I don't know- obviously it's the first album we've done without him, since he left, and I think the production is very good myself.  So, it sounds as though he is a little bit bitter is all I can say, but I really wish that he would wish us luck. We're doing the best we can.

When asked by Rolling Stone about a reunion tour, Jon Anderson said "You never know."  Would you consider reuniting with him in the future for another album or a different tour?
Will there be a possibility? I've never closed the door to the idea, but obviously, not at the moment. Our focus is on this line-up, and to go and promote the new album. And by the time that we go around the world- that's going to take a couple of years, so that's what we'll be doing... Then, as I said, I think we'd like to make another new album then. I'm never going to close the door to the idea of working with anyone who's been in Yes if they wanted to come back. But not right now.

As the boats sailed along the Detroit River, and dusk turned to night, Erykah Badu glided onto the stage. The songstress took her place in the spotlight at the Chene Park Amphitheater; an idyllic setting which complemented Ms. Badu's brilliant beauty. Appearing like a modern angel, she rocked an electric blue fedora and a dove white kaftan.

"I got my Dee-troit brim on."  she said, pronouncing the city as an insider would, and immediately made the evening even more inviting. Although she hails from Texas, spending time off from touring between Dallas and Brooklyn, she seemingly has an affinity towards the Motor City as she has worked with musicians that repped Detroit hard- J Dilla- or have lived here- Jay Electronica.

The performance itself was as mesmerizing as Badu's voice.  She is a consummate performer; seductive and humorous, playful yet dramatic, serene and confrontational, seemingly all at once. Her music was comprised of a wide range of styles, stemming from soul and R&B to synth, with hip-hop tendencies sprinkled throughout.  Her voice provided a sophisticated accompaniment that fused the unique sounds together.

Erykah grew up listening to 70s soul and 80s hip-hop.  Her current musical influences include Minnie Riperton, and listens to "the Emotions, Steely Dan, Anita Baker, and Pink Floyd, specifically The Dark Side of the Moon."

Ms. Badu is personally inspired by Harriet Tubman, recalling a story that illustrates why she is such an inspiration to her,  [Harriet Tubman]  'threatened to shoot anyone who tried to return... [to the plantation] she pointed a gun to their head and said, "You go on or die." '

It is no surprise that she was raised within a theatrical environment  and majored in theatre and performance.  Erykah seems to enjoy being onstage and the art of performing. She is an indelible singer, and is confident enough to have fun with the audience. 

Sometimes she slithered down the mike stand as if it were a stripper pole, intermittently joked with the audience, followed by interludes of her moving like a straight ridah. Although most of her performance conjures up Billie Holiday or Sade, she holds the capacity to be edgier than those with whom she is often compared.  

Erykah Badu refuses to allow herself to get stuck within one persona. She holds the ability to utilize the many sides of her personality. At once, she can appear so quietly confident that it is disarming, yet at the same time, can seem like she would knock you out in a second, simply with a glance in your direction. 

Bringing to mind something heard time after time: Do not look directly into the eyes of Erykah Badu.  There are many explanations as to why- definitely not because she is Medusa. It is most likely because you will look into the eyes of an individual who genuinely believes in what she says.  A rare quality to possess- it may scare you. If you don't buy into this reasoning, then avert your glance- you might turn to stone.

Gunfire exploded throughout the building. Two rival gangs exchanged bullets. Some musicians ran into an elevator for cover...

A night with Diddy Dirty Money? No- it was Daryl Hall and John Oates. And it was on that evening in Philly, in the freight elevator, circa 1967,  that they discovered they rocked the same style of music. A far cry from the usual suspects with street cred, Hall & Oates built their rep on melding classic soul, rock, and pop to create a unique style. 

Innovators of an irresistible blend of music that remains influential to current artists,  Hall & Oates originality  has kept them relevant.  Just look at the line-up of Live from Darryl's House, the critically acclaimed performance series featuring music and banter with Daryl and an array of his musician friends. The list includes Mayer Hawthorne, Todd Rundgren, Grace Potter, Gym Class Heroes, Neon Trees, and Sharon Jones. 

There's also no denying that Hall & Oates have a plethora of hits. In fact- the musicians you listen to most likely listen to Hall & Oates. The hits are numerous and have earned them countless awards.   Their music is continuously sampled by everyone from the Wu Tang Clan, Kanye West, and Amerie,  to Young Jeezy, De La Soul, and Tony Yayo.

Hall & Oates are currently on their 'Do What You Want, Be What You Are' Tour.  This live show should not be missed for the sheer radiance of the performances. And although the bouffant hairstyles, exaggerated attire, smoke machines, and that obscure devil [a la the She's Gone video] are lacking, the show was definitely worthwhile. 

The velvety voice is still there, the indespensible sidekick is still indispensible.  You get to hear all the hits, as well as a few gems thrown in. And, as you listen to the music, you'll still wish your name was Sara.

Concert photography from this event published elsewhere.

Jack Nicholson smiled at me. But not THE Jack Nicholson- that impersonator who likes to frequent Bob Seger concerts.  

And how appropriate. Because in six minutes,  Bob Seger would walk onto the stage of The Palace, singing to a sold-out  Detroit [most likely the suburbs] crowd.  

My parents listened to Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band.  Neither ever mentioned Bob Seger without the seemingly mandatory 'Silver Bullet Band' following; it must have been some special Detroit sign of allegiance.

On records in the house, and on cassette tapes when driving to Michigan from our new home on the East coast, that is what we listened to- Bob Seger & the Silver Bullets  [even 'Shakedown' was in heavy rotation]  

Successfully embarrassing us at an early age, my mother tried to sing along [definitely off-key] to Seger and made us dance with her in the living room.  When Like a Rock came out-  it was the only music that came out of the speakers, except for the occasional True Blue.  Thus was the beginning of my Seger forced conditioning.

After I convinced myself to push aside the vision of the long-haired Seger from the seventies that was dancing in my head- and replace it with the Seger that showed up on Saturday, everything was fine.  The audience seemed truly elated about the final performance of the three-night stint, their excitement showcased on hand-painted 'I Love Bob Seger' posters, and written on their faces.

Roars erupted continuously.  Fans voices reverberated off the cement steps as they  sang along; it was heartwarming- not awkward- and left me smiling. And although it was no Live Bullet, it was much closer than expected. The best part was that Seger himself seemed excited. That  made the show.

Seger's voice sounded exactly as it had on my cds. I was surprised and supremely relieved. I had resisted seeing artists of legendary status courtesy of a mid-nineties Jerry Garcia, who, by that time,  was a played-out, strung-out version of himself. Since witnessing that traumatic RFK performance- I had run the other way to avoid the disappointment of sad replays of forlorn classics.

Bob Seger's two children joined him onstage; one serving as songbird, the other, accompanying on sax. So Seger performed dual roles while on stage that evening,  playing the star he shines on everyone and the role that few know him as, dad.

*Happy 70th Birthday!*