G.H. Harding
BRUCE GOWERS RIP – When MTV was unleashed on an unsuspecting music industry August 1, 1981, it brought about a new definition of an old word: video director. Up till then, video directors were usually in-house individuals and did in-house promotional movies that were called ‘house organs” or “industrials” – I kid you not!
From the BBC: Drummer Roger Taylor once said Gowers’ visuals helped to create “the first video to be used as a really successful promotional tool”. The epic song is the third best-selling single of all-time in the UK, having topped the UK charts for nine weeks in 1975 and gone back to number one in 1991 following the death of singer Freddie Mercury.
The defining video of its age only took about three hours to shoot and cost just £3,500 to make. It was the first music video to be aired on Top of the Pops and led to many more being filmed, setting the standard for artists who followed.
Gowers, who once revealed he had received $590 for the job, told the Dailu Mail in 2018: “It changed the way music was perceived; everyone was doing videos and bands were seeing their sales and chart positions rise if their videos were good.”
The National
THE NATIONAL – (Via Rock Cellar) Revered indie rock outfit The National will release its ninth studio album, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, on April 28 via 4AD.
Officially announced on Wednesday, the news came with the premiere of a song called “Tropic Morning News.” While the song’s energy feels upbeat, such a tempo belies its undercurrent of darkness, thanks to the lyrics of vocalist Matt Berninger:
Partly recorded live in Hamburg, the song merges its mercurial textures and kinetic rhythms with a lush yet subtle grandeur achieved through Bryce Dessner’s work with the London Contemporary Orchestra. “When Matt came in with that song in the depths of his depression, it felt like a turning point for us,” says Aaron Dessner. “It’s almost Dylan-esque in its lyrics and it’s so much fun to play; everything suddenly felt like it was coming alive again.”
Co-written with Berninger’s wife Carin Besser, “Tropic Morning News” takes its title from a phrase Besser invented to describe the regrettably routine practice of doomscrolling. “The idea of referring to the darkness of the news in such a light way unlocked something in me,” says Berninger. “It became a song about having a hard time expressing yourself, and trying to connect with someone when the noise of the world is drowning out any potential for conversation.”
Here’s the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdU0qwZKLfU
Elsewhere on the album, The National is joined by special guests including Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens and Phoebe Bridgers — making the new record an indie all-star ensemble, of sorts.
The track listing:
Once Upon A Poolside (feat. Sufjan Stevens)EucalyptusNew Order T-ShirtThis Isn’t Helping (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)Tropic Morning NewsAlienThe Alcott (feat. Taylor Swift)Grease In Your HairIce MachinesYour Mind Is Not Your Friend (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)Send For Me
Mark Scheerer and Budd Mishkin
New York broadcasting veteran Budd Mishkin celebrated the publication of The Zeitgeist Beat, a memoir by Mark Scheerer (ex-CNN, ABC News, NY Times) at Polpette 71 Tuesday night. See accompanying photo – Scheerer on the left; Mishkin on the right …
Madonna
More Madonna: Very interesting that when news of Madonna’s Celebration tour in August hit the media this week, most media outlets only showed video from the songstress’ “Lucky Star,” “Borderline” and ” Holiday.” “Needless to say, three of her early signature hits,.Nothing from Madame X or even “Live To Tell.”Again, I hope she has some new material to perform …
Ashley Suppa
Wunderkind Ashley Suppa tonight at 54 Below with Michael Lee Lee Brown from Dear Evan Hansen … SIGHTING: PR-pasha David Salidor and Billboard’s Joe Lynch at Smith in Nomad, NYC … Anyone who knows me, knows I am a huge ELO fan. Pretty factually correct article on them from Medium. Check it out: https://rocknheavy.net/elo-a-band-a-project-or-a-concept-b42892a310a… Is it really the 50th anniversary of the Pink Floyd-landmark album Dark Side of the Moon ? Quite hard to fathom I’d say … On this week’s The View, Dolly Parton said her forthcoming “rock” album would feature Stevie Nicks; Paul McCartney; John Fogarty and maybe Mick Jagger. She also said that the record was provisionally titled Rock Star. Personally, I’d love to hear her team up with Sir Mick on her “Jolene.” That’s just a great, great song …
Micky Dolenz and Harry Nilsson
And, HAPPY BDAY Harry Nilsson and Dina Pitenis!
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