Tom Morello Kicks Off Atlas Underground Tour At The Varsity Theater!

This year has been heavy metal for everyone, and sometimes you need a night of some good, hard heavy metal ... and EDM, and folk, and classic rock, and ... and ... everything else that you will get out of Tom Morello's Atlas Underground show. WOW. I was so happy to have my CA friends here in MN that they could have played the ABC's (and they would have made that sound cool too!), but the show is really something else ... and I'll say it again ... WOW. The Varsity Theater has some stories to tell after Morello kicked off the first date of his new tour there last night in support of the groundbreaking Atlas Underground, the first solo album released under his own name.

I'm pretty sure the last time Morello and I were both in Minneapolis at the same time was when Rage Against The Machine played here in opposition of the 2008 RNC Convention that was happening in St. Paul. That one was nuts, with police in riot gear at one show, and the electricity getting pulled at another, forcing the band to take to the crowd with bullhorns. Last night also ended up in the best kind of bedlam ... but I'm getting ahead of myself. The evening opened with a set by Bones UK, an all female hard rock band from Camden Town, London ("It's naughty. It's where vampires go to drink whiskey!" - lead vocalist Rosie Bones). I didn't get to make their whole set, because parking in Dinkytown is a joke, but was impressed with what I did catch.

The ladies lit into a Bowie cover, "I'm Afraid Of Americans" as I arrived, and Bones added when introducing the tune, "Well, I'm afraid of ONE American in particular" ... and no one had to guess who. That's when I got why Morello chose this band to open his tour. She told a story about playing a great gig in London, when a guy came up and told them they were great, but they'd never be as good as a dude band, because "Girls can't play guitar". Guitarist Carmen Vandenberg proceeded to directly dispel that ridiculous myth, blazing through their single, "Pretty Waste" for an already packed to the rafters crowd. Drummer Heavy kept it heavy, and the Bones Uk won some new fans (mostly male) in Minneapolis last night. Including me (one of maybe 10 females).

The crew came out to set up for Morello's set, and you could feel the anticipation building in the room. I've seen Morello play countless times - and it's still exciting every time - but for the mostly dudes gathered there at The Varsity, they were getting ready to go OFF for their guitar hero, that in my eavesdropping I learned was the first time for many. That might be because Atlas Underground features collaborations with a super-diverse line-up of artists, with everyone from Bassnectar to Gary Clark, Jr. ... Steve Aoki to Marcus Mumford ... Knife Party to GZA, RZA, and Big Boi! I mean ... !

After quite a while of setting up, the lights went out and heavy videos began playing on the screen in front. Black and white images of immigrants in lines and cages, prisoners in jails, and homeless Army vets combined to let you know exactly where we're at as a country. Then a voiceover with the deep distortion of a kidnapper and a hooded silhouette appeared on the screen, saying, "This is a communiqué from the Atlas Underground ..." that went on to say that on New Year's Eve, we're taking it ALL (I asked Morello about this after and he said that "rebellion is a way of re-setting the clock to 0:00 and starting over ... Let fire be your deliverance!") and then suddenly a hoopla began in the crowd. I was in the photo pit, so the ruckus was behind me, and when I turned around, there was Morello smack dab in the middle of the crowd, breaking into his surprisingly EDM Gary Clark, Jr. collab, "Where It's At Ain't What It Is"! The happy and surprised faces said it all ... this night was going to be something special.

Videos played while Morello made his way back to the real stage, dressed in red bandana, shades, Madiba hat, and an Abraham Lincoln T-shirt. The video concluded with Morello's inspiration of a mother, Mary Morello, saying to camera, "Freedom means fighting for your rights ... And it also means rock and roll!" I love her ... and she's right. A graphic reading "Nazi Lives Don't Matter" was met with shouts of solidarity, and Morello blazed through "Battle Sirens" (the Knife Party collab). Musical chameleon, Carl Restivo, and awesome drummer, Eric Gardner, joined Morello for the visual and musical barrage that never let up the whole night. Laptops took the place of the collaborators (who weren't present), with their recorded vocals and presence in the excellent videos bringing them there into the room with us. All of the videos were designed by Sean Evans, and served to complete the show that Morello himself describes as "One part Marshall stack guitar madness, and one part bassdrop meltdown", with all of the trappings you would expect from a Rock/EDM show (though the videos made it hard to shoot photos, the experience is meant to be immersive and in the moment, not seen through your phone).

"Rabbit's Revenge"was a ROCKER - with a point. This collaboration with Killer Mike, Bassnectar, and Big Boi hits all the way home - such as our home is these days - with kids being murdered by cops and all the other myriad problems we're all dealing with. Messages on the screen said things like "Don't Mourn, Organize!" and "Take one step towards freedom, and it will take two steps towards you!" Up close in the photo pit, you can really see Morello bending his notes, and it's something to behold. The entire place was loving it, and vocally letting the band know it. A pick up in the palm solo led to a little Rage riff that led to the Audioslave tune, "Like A Stone" with recorded Chris Cornell vocals. The crowd sang along to every note, and it had more meaning than other times I've heard it sung along to - because now we all know we don't have Cornell anymore. It's become a much more wistful song to me ... and I think to everyone.

Another Gary Clark, Jr. collaboration was next, and "Can't Stop The Bleeding"  had everyone clapping along in double time, and featured yet another show-stopping guitar solo from Morello - which is really what everyone is there for. Morello then took it acoustic with a Nightwatchman song, "Flesh Shapes The Day" on his "Whatever It Takes" guitar. "Clap your hands, Minneapolis!", shouted Morello - and we did. "Alright, stop clapping!", commanded Morello - and we did. "Fuck, yeah!", exulted Morello at the end, and everyone in there said that too.

"Save The Hammer For The Man" found Carl Restivo filling in on the Ben Harper part, and it was gorgeous with the harmonies, and also with the flamenco-style guitar solo Morello threw in there. Morello here took a moment to greet the room, saying, "Thank you all for coming, I'm happy to be back in the city I've played so many great shows in, then went into deeper Minnesota tracks for his shout-outs than the usual Prince, Dylan, and First Avenue. Instead, Morello tipped his Madiba hat to the Walker Art Center, Kirby Puckett (!), and Babes In Toyland (who Morello's high school friend Maureen Herman played bass for). Awesome.

There was 45 seconds of tuning, which for a Morello show means that time has to be filled with the "loudest 45 seconds in the history of this club!" - and I think it was probably the loudest, because my ears are still ringing a little bit. The next song was dedicated to Chris Cornell and our "Moments of doubt", and Morello asked for absolute silence for "The Garden Of Gethsemane" - and he got it. I didn't even hear anyone breathing. The reverence for Cornell - and for the beauty of the song - kept the previously rowdy crowd perfectly rapt, so much so that Morello didn't even use the mic. Sublime.

He had promised to reward the silence with "Heavy metal bangers the rest of the way", and that's exactly what he gave us next. "How Long" featuring Tim McIlrath from Rise Against and Steve Aoki got people hyped out of their faces, and the video played after featured Morello's sons and their friends asking questions, and making statements, ending with "I wish he'd just shut up and play guitar!" Morello gets that all the time (and I've had several online fights defending him from that garbage), and if people don't get by now that this man has some real real things to say - AND walks that talk every day - then we really can't help them. He is always going to speak truth to power, so you'd better get used to it.

So, he DID come back out and play guitar, for a shredding, ridiculous version of Springsteen's "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" that Morello has now very much made his own. It's always a true highlight, and always gives me the chills. The teeth solo gets 'em every time, and last night was no different. The fans were SO into it ... but then it got REALLY nuts. "Are we in this together, People?!", asked Morello and the People shouted in the affirmative. "Well, then why am I up on the stage without you? Please join me on the stage!" OK. This was about as close as I've ever come to being trampled (aside from one very heavy Primus set at Lollapalooza), as the super-fans all pressed toward the stage, jumping barriers, pushing over people, doing whatever they could to get up there. Morello kept asking for more people, and the security dudes were stressing. While they were scrambling up there, Morello issued the warning that people not mess with his stuff or put a phone in his face, as he's been known to throw them. And it's been deserved. There were finally enough people up there for Morello's liking for him to say, "OK, let's finish the night with an old gospel song!" - which was Rage's "Killing In The Name"! It was solid pandemonium in there, as everyone shouted in unison "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" with middle fingers all the way raised. It was chaos. It was cathartic. It was necessary. It was these times, defined in a song.

"Minneapolis, put the house lights up!" They did, and the room was illuminated with the happy faces of the people recognizing that they have the power - so we sang one more. John Lennon's "Power to the People" had everyone jumping up and down together, in raucous solidarity.

The ad for the show calls The Atlas Underground Live Experience "The last big event before we all go to jail." I asked Morello what he meant by this, and he explained that the impending police state, with facial recognition and all that, and the looming situation of Trump refusing to leave office should lead to "Hong Kong style riots in Times Square" ... where we would all go to jail. Because we're standing up for what's right, and up TO what's wrong. If you can be made to feel that way from attending a rock show, I'm sure glad that Morello refuses to ever just shut up and play guitar. We need him now, more than ever. And we need each other ... because we truly really absolutely do have the power - and it's time to use it.

Please do not miss your shot to experience The Atlas Underground Live show, because I want you to feel this way too. We need you. Thanks to Tom Morello, for always asking us to think, and for giving us the inspiration to do something with those thoughts. Like fighting the powers that be.

Fists raised!

The Atlas Underground Live Experience is on tour across America now. GO!

*I miss Paul Gronner Photography!

Remembering Chris Cornell ...

Today I was going to write a post about the fun Moods Of Norway party for Syttende Mai last night ... but then I woke up and heard the news that Chris Cornell was found dead. Right now I'm listening to all the Chris Cornell songs that I've loved over the years, and really can't wrap my head around that jarring news ... that we had lost this musical legend to suicide last night in Detroit. No. I just can't believe it. Right now he's singing a cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" ... and he's right. We will.

I loved Chris Cornell from the first time I heard his majestic voice singing with Soundgarden (the best band name ever) on a bootleg of Ultramega OK. Then came Louder Than Love, and then I saw what he looked like, and I was done. Madly in love. When Badmotorfinger came out and I heard "Outshined" and its perfect lyric, "I'm looking California, and feeling Minnesota", I thought sure the man was singing directly to me. I finally got to see Cornell sing live at Lollapalooza in 1992, and it nearly ruined me. I was crazy about him ... like friends would give me special magazines with him on the cover for my birthday. It was a well known crush.

I worked on the movie Feeling Minnesota that shot in Minnesota and starred Keanu Reeves, and I wore my Carhartt crew jacket with that logo around for years because it had that Soundgarden connection to it. I was a dork about Chris Cornell, ok? I remember hearing that when he cut off his trademark long curls, he had sent them in an envelope to his wife at the time, Susan Silver. I thought it was the most romantic thing ever, and loved him even more.

Then it came time to make the move, and both look and feel California. I made the move to Los Angeles, to go after my own dreams. I saw Soundgarden's last show at Universal Amphitheater (gone now too), touring for Down On The Upside, and it was transcendent. We couldn't believe they were breaking up when they were so awesome. Cornell then went solo, and his first solo album Euphoria Morning meant the world to me. My brother, Paul and I went to see his solo show at The Wiltern, and a kind security guy saw the adoration on my face, and escorted us down to two empty seats in like the third row. At one point, during a solo version of "Black Hole Sun" (one of my all time favorite songs ever), Cornell pointed right at Paul and I, and I think we both actually swooned. He was one of the guys that other guys wanted to be, and girls just wanted. It was a moment we both still remember.

Time marched on, friendships were made, and my world grew. I became friends with Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine, and then Rage also broke up. Then one day Tom told me that they were forming a new band called Audioslave with Chris Cornell as the singer! No. WAY! I got an advance copy, unmixed and raw, of the self-titled Audioslave album, and I'm pretty much still sore from the dance party rager we had in Venice when we blasted that thing for the first time. The helicopter opening of "Cochise" and Cornell's vocals coming in ... it was POWERFUL. It was EXCITING. It was the best.

We saw many Audioslave shows, from out on Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Jimmy Kimmel show to the Long Beach Arena, all excellent and the best times ever. I was always way too timid about approaching Cornell, thinking I wouldn't hold it together, because it was CHRIS CORNELL. Tom had a party at his house one day and I was in the kitchen putting some dip in the oven, and was bent over with my butt out. Someone walked behind me and said, "Excuse me", and I turned around to see Chris Cornell smiling. He said, "Hi, I'm Chris" ... and I don't even think I even said anything back, maybe "Hi" - I was definitely fazed. By this time, he had a new French wife, and she was there too, so that was pretty much that, I never got to really flirt. I remember being disappointed that he was (always) wearing a Van Dutch tank top ... it just didn't seem like a thing for a grunge icon to wear, you know? Especially all the time. That, and his second solo album, seemed just cheesy. I never thought I'd think that! He'd lost a little of his luster to me, but he was still Chris Cornell, with the Stradivarius of all rock voices.

Then one day, Cornell left Audioslave, never even telling them why. After praising Tom as "his angel that had saved him" from the stage during a show. After a historic show in Cuba. No warning, just gone. That tainted him further for me, as Tom was a good friend, and I felt deserved better than that. I went on tour with Tom for his solo "Justice Tour" as The Nightwatchman. Cornell's ex-wife, Susan, was along on the tour, as one of the only other women along. I got a nearly fatal spider bite in New Orleans, and by the time I dealt with it in Boston, it was really bad. Susan was there for me. She was and is a wonderful, exceptional woman, and I couldn't believe how cold Cornell now appeared to be toward her and their daughter, Lily. I remember - especially today - how I stood next to Susan as Shooter Jennings sang the Cornell lyrics on Audioslave's "I Am The Highway", and tears filled her eyes. I felt her pain that day, and I feel it again today. Susan returned my email of deepest sympathy today, saying, "It is the words of kindness and support that get us through this darkest hour." That is always true ... It's just such an incredible loss - and once again, so unnecessary. No one knows what someone is going through inside, and it's so important just to love everyone WHILE we have them ... not in retrospect.

I saw Soundgarden at The Wiltern in 2013 with Perry Farrell and his wife, Etty. By now, I'd been on tour with Jane's Addiction the previous Summer, and had become good friends with the Farrells. Perry knew that Etty and I LOVED some Chris Cornell, and hooked it up, even though they didn't seem to be particularly close. There had long been rumors that "Jesus Christ Pose" was about Perry (in that one famous picture posing on a bed), and that didn't really sit well. We entered The Wiltern in a cool VIP way that you drive under the theater and park below. We had seats in the balcony, and the show was great, of course, but there seemed to be a little lounge act schtick in Cornell's stage banter. It was hard to have thoughts of him that were anything less than adulatory, but ... we left early. I regret that today, for sure. (The show was filmed for The Artist's Den, so I did see it all back home).

I last saw Chris Cornell singing on stage this past January at the Anti-Inaugural Ball thrown by the Prophets Of Rage on Inauguration Day. He was a special surprise guest, and when he came out to the opening chords of "Cochise" ... the place literally went crazy. I went crazy.

It looked as though all had been forgiven, and all the Audioslave guys were together on stage again, hugging, smiling, and most importantly ROCKING. It seemed like Cornell had found a new peace, with his wife and children, and even Soundgarden back together and touring again. Then last night he ended the Soundgarden show in Detroit with a song not on the set list, a cover of Zeppelin's "In My Time Of Dying". It looks like this was a planned exit ... that no one can even begin to understand or believe. It's too awful. It's too massive. It's simply heartbreaking.

There have been some massive losses in music in recent times, and I cried this morning when I heard the cover of Cornell singing Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U". Nothing will ever compare to either of these musical angels.

Thank you for your life and music, Chris. You and your songs will never be forgotten. I'm so sorry for your pain. Rock in Peace.

The Anti-Inaugural Ball With Prophets Of Rage!

The United States of America inaugurated the ridiculous Donald Trump as our nation's 45th President last Friday ... and the fine citizens of Los Angeles were having NONE of it. Prophets Of Rage organized an Anti-Inauguration Ball for that evening, to state loud and proudly that this is not our President. We will not stand for a racist, misogynist, hateful leader, and the gauntlet has been thrown on that now from Day One. The evening's proceeds would go to RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, showing that the people will take care of each other, now that we can no longer count at all on our government to do the right thing.

Trump wasted no time in eliminating pages for Climate Change, Native Americans, LBGT, oh, and for you GOP members, also shut down was the Veteran's Families page (explain that!), and is no longer available in Spanish. This President and his cronies fail to realize that he is meant to represent ALL of us, not just the ones he agrees with. And we are here to remind him of that, every step of the way. Friday night was just the beginning. We arrived late to the Teragram Ballroom in Downtown L.A., as you do on a Friday night. We missed the opening acts of The Los Angeles Freedom Choir, Tom Morello and his Freedom Fighter Orchestra, Jackson Browne, Jack Black and Tenacious D, and words from Susan Sarandon. Bummer, as I heard we missed "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" with Tom Morello's blistering guitar solo featuring the night's message of "Not My President" written on the back of his guitar. We walked in just as two young ladies gave a spoken word poetry performance that was as hard-core as anything we'd hear the rest of the night, speaking serious truth to power.

We squeezed up into the balcony, basically to save our own lives, as it was getting pretty heavy metal down on the floor, with the entire square footage pretty much the pit. It was practically a green house in there, as the joint was packed and sweaty with people venting their rage. Prophets Of Rage took the stage to their original tune, "Prophets Of Rage" and from then on ... it was ON. The momentum never let up for a second, and as much of a nightmare as the day began, it was being wrapped up in a gigantic fist of opposition. And it was powerful. At the end of that one, the mighty Public Enemy's Chuck D said, "Make America Rage Again! Make Racists Afraid Again!" to massive applause. It really felt in there like we got this.

Rage Against The Machine's "Bombtrack" was up next, and it was pure molten lava in there. Sheesh. If we could only bottle that energy in there! "This is the Anti-Inauguration Ball with Prophets of Rage and great friends, and we're gonna continue to fuck your heads up!" shouted Cypress Hil's B Real, Co-MC for POR. Which they did next with "Guerilla Radio", and the ecstatic fans of Morello's guitar solos down front were visibly face-melted. Rightly so. That led into "Shut Em Down", another POR original, that features a crazy battle between DJ Lord and Morello on guitar, shredding back and forth. It was something else.

Morello gave a fiery speech with a five point plan to defeat the ugly injustices that are already going down ... following is the paraphrase of that incendiary moment:

Show up! Keep showing up!
Join up! Together we shape the halls of power!
Freedom - remember you have it!
Stand up! For minorities (who are now the majority anyway), LBGT's, Muslims, Women, ALL!
Rise up! Don't settle for what they spoon feed you, fight for the world you want!

"This is a No-Trump Zone! If someone tries to grab your pussy in the pit, it's your patriotic duty to break their fucking arm!" - this was met with hoots and hollers from both genders in solidarity. And it's about time.

"Take The Power Back" ruled, of course. Then B Real said the whole thing was live-streaming on Facebook (and we all shouted out to those viewers) and said, "When you tell your friends that you raged the fuck out, you know what you did, you TESTIFIED!" - and they lit into Rage's "Testify", which tested the venue's earthquake fitness. It survived, just barely.

Vic Mensa rapped his "16 Shots" and then joined Chuck D and B Real for a medley of the Cypress Hill/Public Enemy hits that made them the legends that they are. "Can't Truss It/Insane In The Membrane/Bring The Noise/Ain't Goin' Out Like That/Welcome To The Terrordome" kept the place hopping until they brought out Everlast (!) for "Jump Around" and then it was JUMPING. All around like crazy. People were so happy to be blowing off the steam of this crazy election and awful injustice happening right in front of our faces, the joy in being together in solidarity was tangible. It only got better with the Rage classic, "Sleep Now In The Fire" when we all sang along, fists raised.

There was no time for a breather, as B Real said, "You're all in for a treat now..." and Morello began the instantly recognizable guitar intro for Audioslave's "Cochise"! People went absolutely mental when Chris Cornell bounded on to the stage and jumped right into the lyrics asking us to "Take it out on me!" It was awesome, and you'd never guess that 12 years had passed since they'd shared a stage together. Cornell's voice is as virtuosic as ever. They gave us a three song set with a melodic "Like A Stone" singalong leading into a fiery "Show Me How To Live" that made us all realize how much this band - like Rage - has been missed. It was capped off with a Cornell stage dive into the audience, punctuating the point that he was back, and happy to be so. The crowd went legit wild, and I was tempted to join him from the balcony.

"Bulls On Parade" was all-time, and when we all screamed "Rally 'round the Family!" it was even cooler than ever because that's exactly what we were doing ... rallying around the American family that WE believe on ... as one, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL. Like we learned in Kindergarten. It's not that hard, GOP. You recited that same Pledge Of Allegiance we did. Back to basics, Everyone. Golden rule time.

Jack Black came back to bring on and thank everyone involved, and the stage was soon almost as packed as the audience. The All-Star finale was - and had to be - Rage's "Killing In The Name" that climaxed with the entire building screaming "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!" at the top of our collective lungs. "Now is not the time for silence, make your voices heard!" insisted Morello, and that we definitely did. This evil new administration doesn't have a chance when the People unite. And I think they know it. If any one of them had been in the place on this night, they would be quaking in their boots, because as stated at the outset above - we're NOT HAVING IT.

A hoarse Morello shouted, "Take it easy, but take it!" as Bob Marley's ultra-appropriate "Get Up, Stand Up" filled the room with even more encouragement. This was about the best way I can imagine having spent the night of one of the saddest days in our country's history. Together with fellow Freedom Fighters, knowing the power is - and has always been - in our hands. It's up to us to continue to let The Man (which it mostly always is screwing things up) know that we're here. That we fight for what's right. That we will never be silent. That this Land is made for you and me and all of us. UNITED.

May the foes of justice tremble.

Soundgarden in L.A.

I went to the third night of Soundgarden at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on Sunday night. I hadn't seen them live since 1997 at Universal Ampitheater in what might have been their last show of that decade. It was awesome then, like blow your mind awesome.

Sunday night ... hmmmm .... I don't know. It's not the same ... the energy just isn't there like it used to be. Chris Cornell possesses one of the all time greatest rock voices EVER, but he just seemed a litle bored. Which then made us feel bored. Also, it's always a plus for we ladies at a Soundgarden show when Cornell's shirt would come off ... this time he wore a turtleneck. A turtleneck!! Again ... I don't know.

We got a peek of the setlist before the show, and our collective favorite, "Black Hole Sun" was not on the list until the encore. We all looked at each other and knew we wouldn't be there still by then.

I got the gist of it with the "Spoonman", "Jesus Christ Pose", and "My Wave" classics, but the whole affair felt strangely low energy, even though it was being shot for an episode of The Artist's Den. The music was great as ever, with Kim Thayill, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd (the most animated, by far) bringing it like they always did - hard, and Cornell's voice was great as ever ... but I just can't quite put my finger on exactly why we all sort of shrugged  ... and then left.

The discussion on the way home was "Where is the joy? Why so dark all the time? People don't need to remember to be depressed, they need to remember how fun life can be!" To be fair, all the bald heads and baseball hats on the floor looked to be having a great time, beers hoisted ... but it just felt kind of forced. Or sad? Like when we saw a guy physically push his girl's head forward because she wasn't banging it hard enough for his taste. Oooooh. 

I got home, listened to "Black Hole Sun", and thanked Soundgarden for the memories from back in the DAY, when it felt like they really, really meant it, with a ferocity, and had something to SAY vs. re-live. I'll always love them, of course, but ... Shrug.