SCHLOCK, THE MONKEY - cultural claptrap: Adam Sandler

What You'll Find Here: Music, Movies and Me

Since May 1976, I have written in journals. When I have nothing particularly resonant to say about my own inner turmoil, philosophic ramblings, sexual peccadillos or whining on about the state of the world around me...I have always fallen back on reporting the cultural time consumption that takes up in inordinate portion of my daily goings on.

In the 40+ years since my first concerts seeing Children's Symphony presentations on Sundays at the Pasadena Civic or The Hot Jazz Society's monthly Dixieland romps in an old meeting hall on the edge of the L.A. "River" across from Griffith Park, I have been sold heavily on the magic of live music. As Neil Young so aptly put it, "Live music is better bumper stickers should be issued."

Growing up a few orange groves and canyons length away from Hollywood also contributed greatly to my family's addiction to movie going. From the time I was a small there were weekly trips to the drive-in theaters that dotted the landscape, or the local Temple theater for the Saturday matinees. Once in a while we'd drive the 12 miles into Hollywood and see something in one of the magnificent old movie palaces like Grauman's Chinese, the Egyptian, The Pantages or later the Cinerama Dome. My dad loved Westerns and War movies, as if he didn't get enough shoot-'em-up as an L.A. County Sheriff in his day gig, my mom adored musicals and comedies. My brother and I loved them all.

At SDSU, I played in my first gigging band and began booking concerts on campus as part of the well-funded Cultural Arts Board, kindling for my future life in and around music.

So it's not surprising that my first jobs out of college were working in local video rental places (which were all the rage) or managing a couple of Sam Goody record stores in Mall's on the East Coast where we marveled at the new CD format and sold the first home computers and video games (yes Commodore and Pong and Atari).

So these are really just extensions of all of those journal entries talking about the great new movies I was seeing and LPs/CDs I was listening to.

Though iPODS/iPADs, apps, smart phones and downloads now make music and movies accessible in your own pocket, there is still nothing like sitting in front of a stack of speakers with a room full of people swaying to music created before your eyes. Nor is there anything that works quite so well for me to escape the real world and all of it's pressures just outside than two hours in a dark theater, absorbing the stories flickering across that wide screen as they pull you into their world.

But a really good taco runs a close third...

Showing posts with label Adam Sandler. Show all posts

Thursday, December 13, 2012

121212 CONCERT for victims of SANDY - CLIPS

-- THIS VERSION OF THIS POST WHICH ORIGINALLY APPEARED HERE 12/13/12 NOW HAS UPDATED QUALITY AND/OR ADDED FULL VERSIONS OF MANY OF THE PREVIOUSLY POSTED VIDEOS AND HAS ALSO ADDED MANY FULL SONGS NOT PREVIOUSLY POSTED (this update posted 12/16/12)

The 121212 CONCERT for victims of Sandy was held last night with an amazing line-up of BIG NAME bands. If was broadcast for free across the web, in theaters across the country, on hundreds of TV and radio stations worldwide.

Here are some clips of highlights but don't forget, you can STILL donate money directly to the cause HERE at the 121212concert.org website

At top: Roger Waters performing "Comfortably Numb" with guest Eddie Vedder (full song, xlnt quality).

Full length versions HD versions of songs are now popping up available. Apologies for all of these lesser quality clips and partial versions but I thought I should get something up for those who missed it and who might be prompted to contribute. I will post updates here as they pop up on YouTube. If any of you have complete set or song links please forward them.

If you've got three hours here is a link to the part one of the complete broadcast or pick and choose some choice moments below. I'll post part two soon.

In the meantime, here are some clips to wet your whistle. Looks like quite an amazing night...performances by the Rolling Stones, Kanye West, Michael Stipe, Roger Waters with Eddie Vedder...Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Chris Martin, Eric Clapton, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon, Billy Crystal and many more...

"Born To Run" rocking for Jersey with The Boss and Jon Bon Jovi...(full song, good quality)

Paul McCartney and Nirvana reunion playing a new jam in the "Helter Skelter" mode called "Cut Me Some Slack" (full song, upgraded quality):

A retired Michael Stipe was asked by his buddy Chris Martin from Coldplay to chow up and sing one of R.E.M.'s biggest hits, "Losing My Religion"

Adam Sandler performs "Sandy, Screw Ya" with Paul Shaeffer to the tune of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (full song):

Here's most of Billy Joel's version of "Movin' Out" (partial, marginal quality) and "River of Dreams"

The Who play "Pinball Wizard" (full song, updated quality):

The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (only the last half is here):

Eric Clapton performing first an acoustic "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out" and then a fierce electric "Got to Get better In A Little While" (both full songs in xlnt quality). Check out the post here for Eric's version of "Crossroads" from this concert as well.