Pearl Jam Fan Writes Their Concert Setlist: New No Doubt, Socal Distortion, The Fixx

"SETTLE DOWN"    NO DOUBT

Gwen Stefani and her boys are going to release their new CD, Push And Shove, on September 25th.   The world premiere of their new video is online and there was a Ryan Seacrest  30 minute special preview on E! Tuesday night.  "Settle Down" has the feel of "Hey Baby" but it's better!  More of a chilled out reggae/ska style and those last two minutes of this video are magical!  Gwen looks incredible especially when they're slow dancing to that hypnotic outro beat!   No Doubt are rehearsing for a new tour and I can't wait to see them again.  I saw them in a outdoor venue in a rainstorm with Paramore as their opening act.  No Doubt is back, so excited!!

    


DAILY MUSIC TRIVIA:   During their MTV Unplugged performance, what did Eddie Vedder write on his arm during the song "Porch"?   Yesterday:  The Pittsburgh Steelers

"CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU"    PEARL JAM

First off, yes, this is Eddie Vedder coving ELVIS!   Amazing cover of The King of Rock N Roll.  Brian Farias basically won the Pearl Jam lottery.  He's a longtime fan of the band and seen them play 108 times.   The band offered to let Brian decide on the set list for their concert.  Imagine being able to make a playlist of your all-time favorite songs and then get the band to drop by and play them in the order you chose!   Brian picked some obscure choices like a B-side called "Alone", a Mother Love Bone song "Crown Of Thorns", and "Bugs" from Vitalogy.   For the complete set list and story, check this link:  Pearl Jam Set List.

"I WAS WRONG"    SOCIAL DISTORTION

A little California punk rock to pick up the morning!   One of my friends is in his mid 50's but he's going to see S.D. with his daughter in New York in October.   How cool is that!!   Lead singer, Mike Ness, who turned 50 this year, embodies the punk spirit, defiant, standing for his beliefs, and rocking out with his custom Gibson Les Paul guitar.    "I Was Wrong"is from 1996's "White Heat, White Light, White Trash", an amazing CD to check out.   The song merges punk, rockabilly, and blues, the perfect blend for the Social Distortion signature sound.

"STAND OR FALL"     THE FIXX

Just saw The Fixx tickets are available for a summer tour.   Wow, didn't know they were still together!   Not only are they celebrating their 30th Anniversary of their debut album, The Fixx just released their new CD, Beautiful Friction.   "One Thing Leads To Another", "Red Skies" and "Stand or Fall" are a triple play of New Wave/Rock that stands up any of the bands of the era.   Their first hit, "Stand Or Fall" has that great synthesizer opening, that foreboding beat, then the drums and Cy's vocals explode into a classic 80's nugget.  Fun Fact:  The Fixx is the rare English band who is much less popular in their native country than Canada and the U.S.

Pearl Jam Covers A 60's Nugget: Pearl Jam, Talisman, and Disturbed

"SOLDIER OF LOVE"   PEARL JAM

Pearl Jam has a fan club tradition of releasing Christmas singles to their fans.   In 1998, they sent out a double-sided single of two covers from the 1960's.  "Last Kiss" and "Soldier Of Love" both maintain the innocence of the love-power generation yet manage to feel like classic Vedder with lyrics like "Lay down your arms and surrender to me" and "use your arms to hold me, I don't want to fight anymore".  Eddie was scheduled to perform in Clearwater, FL but had to reschedule the tour due to a back injury.   Dec 2012 is the make up date.

"FROZEN" (Madonna cover)  TALISMAN

From Madonna's Ray of Light CD, "Frozen" gets a reinterpretation by Jeff Scott Soto and Talisman.   Jeff is a hired-gun vocalist who has led Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteem's band, Steve Augeri's replacement in Journey, Axel Rudy Pell's Band, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and voice of Steel Dragon in the movie Rock Star.   This cover of Madonna pumps up the rock edge but still feels faithful to the original.

"REMNANTS"    DISTURBED

From the fifth CD, Asylum, by Disturbed comes this instrumental jam.   Following Indestructible, Disturbed wanted a darker sounding record.    The CD opens with "Remnants" and it's usually connected to the title track "Asylum".   Here the song is cut in pieces as it was included on the soundtrack of the video game "Rock Band".

 

Hard Rock Monday: Pearl Jam, Testament, and To Die For

"OFF HE GOES" (Toronto)   PEARL JAM

One of the most influential bands of the last 25 years.   From their attack against Ticketmaster, refusing to sellout and make MTV videos, encouraging bootlegging their amazing live shows, and challenging the status quo with each new CD, Eddie Vedder, Stone Goddard, and the rest of Pearl Jam set the bar high.   Originally named Mookie Blaylock (after the NBA point guard), then stints with Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam set records with their debut, Ten.   "Off He Goes" is from No Yield, recording in New Orleans, Eddie said it's based on himself being a "shit friend", classic Vedder!

"MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE"  TESTAMENT

Like Metallica, Testament came out of California in the early 80's and established the thrash metal genre.   They hit it big after touring with Anthrax and MTV's Headbanger's Ball put "Practice What You Preach" on heavy rotation.   This song is from their comeback CD in 2008.   Incidentally, lead guitarist, Alex Skolnick is an original band member and also plays in Trans-Siberian Orchestra, most famous for their popular instrumental metal Christmas concerts.

"I JUST DIED IN YOUR ARMS"   TO DIE FOR

Norway, Sweden, and Finland are keeping alive the speed metal spirit.   Gothic rock, death metal, power chords, and that 80's hair band vibe all remain popular at festivals all over the Scandinavian area.   To Die For is a band from Finland who do a great cover of the 80's Crowded House classic.   Love that line, "I should have walked away..."