The Jayhawks, Are You or Aren't You?

 
What initially started as an obituary on the premier alt-country, roots, americana, "no depression", whatever you defined them as band, has become something more interesting. As recently as last week it appeared the Jayhwaks were done for good. In the Star Tribune, there it was, the end of The Jayhawks. They had quotes from band members saying the band had "run it's course" and "it's dead". Today it appears either the band was misquoted or they've had a change of heart. While currently on tour with original founding member Marc Olson, lead singer/guitarist Gary Louris has told the fans on the message board at the Jayhawks fan page to "calm down" and "you never know where this might lead... the door hasn't been closed, etc..." in reference to his acoustic tour with Marc and a possible full scale reunion.
A little background... The Jayhawks were first introduced to me in high school in a friends basement. From the first time I heard the disc "Hollywood Town Hall", I knew immediately I had to get the disc for myself. It was so accessible and built around such seemingly simple arrangements and great melody. The arrangements may have been simple but they never sounded old or "stock". I liked some country music at the time, but this was so far removed from the glossy, pop type country that music row in Nashville peddles on you. The Jayhawks were a huge part of the soundtrack of my life. They were formed up here in Minnesota by singer/songwriter Marc Olson and singer/songwriter/lead guitarist Gary Louris. Their debut album "Blue Earth" was released on a small, local record label and didn't create a whole lot of interest except among diehard alternative country fans. With the release of "Hollywood Town Hall" they started to develop a national following. Upon the release of their next (and last album with Marc Olson), "Tomorrow The Green Grass" they had carved out a spot for themselves in the big song and would rightly be labelled as "one of the most influential bands of the decade" by both Rolling Stone and Spin magazines later on. After the somewhat amicable departure of Marc Olson, Gary Louris would continue on under the Jayhawks name and release the very solid "Sound of Lies", "Smile", and as it appeared, would be their final release and fitting swan song, "Rainy Day Music". I remember seeing them at First Avenue with special guest Victoria Williams (now Marc Olsons wife), they seemed to be having such a great time on stage and they sounded incredible. I remember seeing them at Midway Stadium opening for Soul Asylum, what a great day that was! Two of my favorites on the same bill. I'll always remember Gary Louris's maroon Gibson SG guitar and how anybody who played guitar wishes they could play like him and sound like him, one of the most underrated guitar players among them all. As I stated earlier, Gary and Marc are doing some acoustic shows together, which made the announcement of a breakup all the more surprising I think. If anything I expected they'd be getting Marc back in the band for some shows and maybe a record. We'll have to see what they have in store. A fan can't really complain too loudly though if it appears they're through, they provided me with great memories and will forever hold a spot in my soul.

Syd Barrett...

"I'm most obliged to you for making it clear that I'm not here - and I'm wondering who could be writing this song.'"
-Syd Barrett, "Jugband Blues"

 
This may be a strange artist to cover to start off a blog, but no matter. I've been recently listening to a landmark album not a lot of people have heard of, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" by Pink Floyd. Many people are unaware of Pink Floyd's music before their stable, (well, relatively stable)lineup of Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright. This was the lineup that created The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, etc... Before this though, there was a brilliant young musician leading the group named Syd Barrett. He was primarily the man responsible for this terrifically colorful album. It is a masterpiece in every sense. The lyrics are among the finest ever written by any songwriter and the music seems to jump out at you in 3-D with images like those found in "Alice in Wonderland". He speaks of unicorns and gnomes, Jupiter and Neptune, demon cats, scarecrows and bikes he'd let you ride if he could. The lyrics are like the most fantastically colorful childrens book you've ever read. I always have to listen to this album from start to finish, and I think it grows stronger on me with each passing listen. It may not be for everybody, but then any true, great art never is. This is a terrifically underrated record that needs to get more of it's due as the years go on.
On to the man himself, Syd sadly succumbed to the pressure of being a creative individual, and like most genius artists or musicians, at some point could no longer function as said creative person. He quite simply went mad. At one point, it got so bad when he was to perform on television with Pink Floyd, David Gilmour had to lip synch the song for him. Syd just stared right through the camera while occasionly banging on his guitar. One of the most uncomfortable pieces of video I've ever watched. Very sad. His behavior would become increasingly erratic over time to the point where he would withdraw to Cambridge, England and become a recluse. He's still alive and living there to this day where he's said to paint and write. Occassionly he'll venture out in public, a couple people have snapped pictures of him while doing so. The one thing I notice in the pictures are his eyes. He has these dark sad eyes that seem to be a reminder of his past life. I've read many different books and articles about this man and how he influenced Pink Floyd not only while he was a member, but always as a touchstone for the songwriting that would come later on when he was no longer a member of the group. Songs such as "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", and the album "Dark Side of the Moon" would later be credited by Roger Waters as having Syd be the main inspiration for the themes of isolation and madness. He's on all their albums in spirit, even "The Wall" was written with him in mind. David Gilmour (the man who's spot he took in the Floyd) has been in contact with him and his family very sporadically over the years, even going as far as trying to get him into the studio to record a couple times. The results were sporadic at best. Although the albums that were released from those sessions, "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett" do have some memorable songs and flashes of what made him such a great artist, such as "Terrapin" and "Baby Lemonade". Even though he only made one classic album, he does deserve to be more than a footnote in rock history as "that guy from Pink Floyd who went crazy". He needs to be remembered as a greatly innovative guitar player and immensely creative songwriter.

Welcome to my new music blog...

This will be a place where i'll be covering a lot of aspects of todays popular (and probably more unpopular music). I'm not a big fan of todays mainstream music, and I usually have to dig a little bit to find things that interest me. I have an interesting musical pallette. I listen to everything from bluegrass to blues, classic rock to country, and I'm always on the hunt for something interesting that's new. This is not to say I don't occasionly enjoy a good pop song. I just don't follow charts and what's on the radio as proof of something being "good". I hope you enjoy this blog.