Jail Guitar Doors - Rock Out 5!

My welcome back to L.A. was extra great after having been gone since last May, as I got to go racing from LAX straight across town just in time to make it for the 5th annual Jail Guitar Doors ("The loudest charity on Planet Earth!") fundraiser show starring Moby and Wayne Kramer at the Ford Amphitheater!

My friends Brother Wayne and Margaret Kramer have been putting on this event every year to raise money for Jail Guitar Doors, and their exceptional programs that bring music to inmates in prison. After checking out the merch (there's even JGD coffee now!), and greeting several other annual JGD show fans, my brother Paul and I took our seats in the front row, ready to take in another great night of music put on by great people for an absolutely great cause.

A recording played to announce that we were sitting on what was once Tongva native lands, and then Brother Wayne came bounding down the steps to the stage, punching the air and riling up the crowd right off the bat. I was SO happy to see him looking so healthy and hale after he endured cancer treatment this last year, like he was way more energetic than just about everyone else the whole night. Phew. Kramer  thanked Dr. Bronner's (the soap people) for underwriting Jail Guitar Doors being able to provide programs for young people to get them into activities that will PREVENT them from ever entering the criminal justice system ... because once in, it's pretty damn hard to get out and resume a regular life. And then the world is better for everyone.

The evening was hosted by the Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, Luis Rodriguez, who sits on the board of Jail Guitar Doors. Rodriguez has done time, as did his father and son, and he wants that cycle ended. "I'm an O.G. when it comes to this work," he said, before sharing a beautiful poem that had the excellent line, "Use your given gifts. They are not stone." YES.

Rodriguez introduced the Soledad Jazz Workshop, a jazzy quintet founded at the Soledad State Prison in California. Mr. Jack Bowers was their teacher, and everyone playing so beautifully had also done time. Ron Melvin (alto sax) spoke after their first number, saying that, "Jail Guitar Doors believed in me until I could believe in myself." He added the important truth that, "Beauty can come from anywhere."

Trombone legend, Phil Ranelin, was featured on the song "All The Things We Are", and said it was written the same year he was born, 1939. He can still blow with the best of them, and we also got  the Miles Davis classic "All Blues". It was all really, really good, and the only reason I can think of that some people don't like jazz is that the songs are so long, and you start to feel left out of the jam conversation that the musicians have going together. So, you just close your eyes, listen, and it's all good. Real good.

Rodriguez came back out to recite a poem called "The Calling". He told of how he had turned his life around through poetry in jail, and said that, "You can't throw people away ... everyone is worth helping." That's really the point of the whole JGD organization. The poem gave me chills, and also the gratitude and relief that there really still are really good people out there. Thank God.

Rodriguez introduced Wayne Kramer and Friends, and Kramer ran back on stage, this time with his legendary Star Spangled guitar, yelling, "Alright, now we're gonna rock!" and he and his band went on to do just exactly that. "Shining Mr. Lincoln's Shoes" had Kramer running around extra-animated while Carl Restivo held things down on bass, Brock Avery kept the drum beat, and Benmont Tench (yes, from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Benmont Tench!) on the keys.

"Back When Dogs Could Talk" featured Kramer doing the funky chicken and also shouting out to all the workers of the world ... "My steel workers, my food service workers, my auto workers, my teachers ... you have earned the right to be known as the salt of the Earth! You are somebody!" It was awesome, and a fine example of why Kramer rules as a human being AND as a rock star both.

Kramer brought out my friend Jason Heath (lead JGD teacher and leader of The Greedy Souls) as well as the rapper Matre to join he and the band for a fired up version of "Jail Guitar Doors", the namesake song by The Clash. Everyone was feeling it, and frankly, their set was over way too soon, but it sure got the party going!

Mr. Rodriguez came back and we did a call and response poem together, saying "Make this poem cry!" It did its job, because I definitely got choked up. No time for tears, however, as Rodriguez said, "And now, Moby!" and Moby came out with his band and back-up singers, who launched right into his great song, "Extreme Ways". Dressed casually in jeans and a hoodie, Moby rather resembled a much smaller Billy Corgan with a "Vegan For Life" neck tattoo.

The crowd loved the song, and let the band know. Moby said that he'd driven by the Ford Theater a thousand times, but had never been and didn't know it was so beautiful. "This is the most beautiful outdoor theater in Los Angeles, and that's saying something." We were all already feeling lucky for being there, but that jacked that sentiment up even more. A truly stunningly gorgeous evening, as the stage looked like an enchanted forest and beautiful letters from prisoners and photos were projected on the interior walls.

Moby said that the only thing he had in common with Jimi Hendrix was that they had both only had one #1 song in the U.S. ... then proceeded to play his. "South Side" sounded as good and as fresh as it ever did, and I have to admit, I didn't ever really know how good a guitar player Moby is. I always associate him with synthy sounding orchestral super produced tunes, and it was cool to see him pretty stripped down and really going for it live on guitar. He said he was a punk rock kid, "So I fetishize cover songs," and they did mostly covers from thereon out. Mindy James took lead vocals for a re-working of The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" that she absolutely belted out, and Moby shredded out the guitar solo.

Moby loves John Lee Hooker, so next we got "A Dark Cloud Is Coming" which was inspired by Hooker, and was very dark, bluesy, ominous, and pretty heavy. It felt right for a night about prison ... but then the next one was "20th Century Boy" from T. Rex ... and the whole band was smiling and clearly enjoying themselves while they played, so it felt like hope again. Benmont Tench was back to be Moby's keys player too, and you could tell he was having fun. There was a dude/douche next to me who kept making lame GIFs during the show, then nudging me to look at them. Don't do that. Thanks.

Neil Young's "Helpless" was dedicated to Moby's Mom, who he lost 15 years ago after a life of food stamps and welfare as a single mother. Laura Dawn took lead vocals, and I got choked up again thinking about my own Mom back home.  Moby's "L.A. song about astrophysics and weird celebrities" was next up, and "We Are All Made Of Stars" happened. I love that dang song, and his great "Natural Blues" was next, again featuring Mindy Jones in rad voice. A cover of Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" found us witnessing a "primal, libidinous battle" between Jones and guitarist/backup singer, Daron Murphy on harmonica. Jones and Murphy traded licks, while Moby laid down on the stage to enjoy it, and an older woman danced like no one was watching in the aisle next to me. Good for her.

Next up was "The Mount Olympus of cover songs, the mother of all cover songs, we need you to come to Valhalla with us on this one" ... and it was "Stairway To Heaven". Murphy took lead vocals while the band whipped the audience into a frenzy - and an older man had now joined the dancing woman, and they were both going off, spins and all, until "We drank vegan grogg from the skulls of our enemies!" proclaimed Moby. And you better believe we DID.

The All Star finale brought everyone back out together, and we all sang "The Perfect Life" together - and loudly. It was super celebratory, meaningful, and again, hopeful. At one point in the song, they brought it all down to a whisper with every single performer flat on their backs on the stage, which brought the whole house rushing down to the front to try to see them.

Then they brought it all back up to a joyous conclusion, and the hope that a more perfect life might be within the grasp of both everyone there, and everyone that they were helping by being there. There was no Kicking Out The Jams this year, which I missed, but this finale was so good that you could let it slide. Another fantastic night of music for Jail Guitar Doors was complete ... but the work continues all year.

Please get involved however and whenever you can ... donate, volunteer, teach, spread the word! Jail Guitar Doors is changing lives for the much better, and we're all better for it. Thanks and LOVE to all involved with this exceptional organization!

All photos by Paul Gronner Photography

Firebrand Thursday - Tom Morello And Friends Back At Hotel Café!

Tom Morello first brought his group shows with friends to the Hotel Café as The Nightwatchman ten years ago, and he was back there last night with his label-mates from his Firebrand Records to give us a healthy dose of music for the Resistance. In a switch from Firebrand Fridays (previously held at Genghis Cohen), this one was on a Thursday. Though it started at ten, which is pretty late for a school night, the crowd was packed in and singing along in solidarity until the last note was hit.

Morello introduced the evening, saying it was good to be back at Hotel Café, before bringing up his comrade in arms, Ryan Harvey. Harvey is one of my favorite people to turn to in times of global crisis, as he has incredible knowledge and explains things in an erudite and understandable way, often through song. He told us about how he recently went to visit Nora Guthrie, and she told him all about her father Woody's songs, and the stories behind them. He played us "Old Man Trump" (about the current Trump's equally disgusting father), which speaks to how they try to divide us with racism. Still. The chorus even features a Eugene Debs quote, and explains how - sadly - "Your ideals escape them." Powerful stuff, and I'd encourage everyone everywhere to take the chance to hear Harvey play if you get it.

 Harvey brought Morello back up, wearing his shades inside at night, perhaps to indicate his Nightwatchman persona had returned (otherwise I can't really condone it). He extended greetings from his mother, Mary. She had a fall earlier in the day, and they'd spent the day in the ER, having to miss giving their fiery speech for Black History Month at his kids' elementary school. Instead, he put it into song form, and sang about torches in the woods, and if you want a taste of freedom - "Keep Going!" It was ominous and inspiring at the same time. The kids would have dug the storytelling, I'm sure. Feel better, Mary!!!

My favorite Nightwatchman song has always been "Let Freedom Ring", and I got to hear it again last night. It was silent in there as Morello strummed and sang about the Freedom that is in so much jeopardy right now, and I felt all emotional. He ended it with a revved up acoustic jam that fired everyone back up, loving it even more.

The outstanding Lia Rose performed next, and began by asking "How did we get ourselves into this mess?" Right? I mean, we know, but still. Ugh. She spoke about how beautiful and inspiring it is to have a friend like Morello, who walks the talk EVERY day. The shouts of "Thank you, Tom!" were heartfelt and loud. I concur with Rose. He really does fight the power EVERY single day, and we're all so lucky to have SOMEONE out there unafraid to speak truth to power every chance he gets. And it's contagious, as evidenced by the beautiful, equally aware songs Rose gave us. I don't know the name of the first one, but my friend next to me just said, "Wow. She's something else." Totally agree. Her voice is so ethereal and expressive, you just need to experience it live. Rose was wearing a Standing Rock shirt, and dedicated her next song to the Water Warriors there. "Awake" nearly had me sobbing out loud, not prettily. The song is so beautiful, but the whole time all I could picture was that day's news showing the tipis and camps set on fire as the Native Americans are being raided. It's so awful, and "So cold" as the song says. Rose said, "In the future it will be very clear who was on the right side of this." Agreed, except for it's pretty clear right now.

The bright side is that "incredible goodness rises up greet evil", and with that truth spoken, Rose sang her "Of Good And Evil". It was so pretty, so hopeful, and so needed - as indeed, this whole night of rebel music was. Crucial for these times.

Headliner Ike Reilly was next, but Morello stalled for him, as he "needed a moment to get it together." Morello told about how both he and Reilly grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, long suffering together over the Cubs until this year's miraculous championship that has them both still beaming. Reilly stayed in the Midwest, while Morello headed for L.A., but that didn't stop him from becoming "One of the greatest acoustic singer/songwriters of all time" - per Morello. And per every superfan Reilly had in there, and there were many. Most of them waving their arms and getting sauced. Before bringing Reilly up, Morello said, "Don't let the People down." There was no chance of that.

Reilly began with a new one called "Boltcutter" (that Morello titled), all about the travel ban and what's going on right now in our world. Extra timely, and enthusiastically cheered along with ... especially when he ended it with, "When they steal our dreams, we gotta steal 'em back!" Facts. Real facts.

"Anyone here a racist?" No one raised their hands to that, thank God. Reilly is a great storyteller (and writer, and guitar player, and harmonica player ...) and told a yarn about how he used to have a thing for this girl in high school, who was gorgeous, but would always say these racist comments. "Laura, why you gotta be so mad that somebody else matters?" It was funny, but also biting and true (and Morello named this one "Laura".) Reilly next told about how his Dad was in the hospital dying, and Reilly found a poem in his Bible about his girlfriend having an affair with Satan. Right around the time Reilly was born ... hmmm. "Devil's Valentine" features his Dad's lyrics with Reilly's music, and contains the wonderful line, "Somewhere between dreams and fear is life." I love that. And so did a big guy that showed Reilly his back tattoo of those words once at a show, though credited the words to Ike and not Daniel Reilly. Still cool.

The Valentine theme continued with "Valentine's Day In Juarez," that turned into a lusty singalong. Reilly said if you didn't know the words, "Follow the drunk ones". A lady down front raised her hands, so we followed her. Correctly, it seemed. "They got the cocaine, Oxycontin, mushrooms, marijuana, vodka, plastic pop-off, twist one off ..." was belted out by fans that sounded like they knew what they were talking about. "Loving In The Wrong Time" was just recorded with the Ike Reilly Assassination (who he said were on strike tonight), and was great, and then the drunk ones got a drinking song, with drinks all around for his "Wasted Friends". It was super fun, and just what the Dr. Feelgood ordered.

These shows always end with an All-Star Jam, and this night was no different. The Firebrand gang brought up their friend Jason Heath, and everyone joined Reilly on his fantastic jam, "Put A Little Love In It". Morello and Reilly played dueling guitars, and the exceptional flamenco-ish solo by Morello was summed up at song's end by his own expression:

Because it was awesome. Morello encouraged "Singers" to come up on stage and join them, with the one caveat that they couldn't take out their phones - they had to act like they were in the band. A slew of folks crammed up on the little Hotel Café stage and if they didn't exactly act like they were in the band, they did at least pocket their phones. They all enthusiastically rocked out to Morello's "The Road I Must Travel" with Morello only occasionally having to jostle for elbow room. The fans on stage were so clearly happy to be exactly right there, that it was easy when Morello called for "Once more, in solidarity, Everybody!" Done.

"I'm not entirely sure we're done," was met with more roars, and the ironic champagne bucket was passed around, as is the custom for these shows designed to benefit social justice organizations. This time the money will go to the relief efforts for Syrian refugees in Greece, where Harvey will be reporting to once again next week, in his own walking of the talk. These shows also customarily end with a rowdy version of "This Land Is Your Land", which was even more special as it had been written 77 years ago to the day by Woody Guthrie in 1940. I'm sure Guthrie would be so pleased to know that it is still being sun as our "Alternative National Anthem", and that his torch has been so valiantly carried by this bunch of modern musicians. Though Morello has undoubtedly played this a million times by now, it is always with the same fervor and conviction. Which the audience feels, and carries with them.

You will leave every Firebrand show feeling both inspired and empowered. We're all in this together, and there are still very good people doing very good things. As we all sang out throats out, and jumped up and down together in TOTAL solidarity, you got the feeling that maybe we got this. As ever, the People have the Power. I don't think that fact has ever been more important than now. Morello closed the night by thanking everyone, telling us all to take it easy, but to take it, and adding, "Firebrand Records is so much better than Interscope." If this night had anything to say about it ... there again is a real fact.

Thank you to everyone involved with the fantastic Firebrand - the World needs you!

*Photos by Paul Gronner Photography

Tom Morello's Firebrand Fridays At Genghis Cohen!

There has been extra fun stuff to do in town ever since I got back, and I was extra excited to get the call that my friend, Tom Morello, was firing up an August edition of Firebrand Fridays at Genghis Cohen. These are the musical jamborees that Morello puts together with all his friends from a wide range of musical genres and they throw a downright hootenanny, with ALL proceeds going to PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) here in L.A.

I was Mary Morello first thing upon entering, and we hugged and she said, "We're the old timers!" I love that from her as she is Tom's fantastic 91 year old Mother, but she's right. We've been there for all these shows, from when Tom was first doing his solo songs in coffee houses. You just can't help but want to be a part of it, so you jump at every chance to behold one of these great and powerful shows. We spoke for a bit more, then Mary said, "I have to go be with my kid," and off she went to her spot right down front to cheer on her son and his friends.

After the tiny room could not fit one more body, Tom came out to welcome everyone to "the best $10 show in L.A.!" Total understatement. Morello introduced his Freedom Fighter Orchestra band mate, Dave Gibbs (aka Kid Lightning), to play a few songs for us on the eve of his 50th birthday (thus Tom dubbed him the Kid Middle Aged Lightning)! I had missed hearing the beautiful voice of Gibbs, and he  delivered an old favorite "Barely Out Of Tuesday" and "another mournful ballad in G minor" before destroying the room with an acoustic, slow, sweetest version ever of "Straight Outta Compton" - ha! It was classic and the best. Love Dave Gibbs.

"You've already got your $10 worth, so it's a gravy laced victory lap for you from here on out!" spoke Morello - truly - by way of introducing his "Consigliere" also from the Freedom Fighter Orchestra, Carl Restivo. Restivo can pretty much sing and play anything, and is always the one Morello turns to for charts or lyrics or any and all things music. He's a human musical encyclopedia, and always a delight to be entertained by.

Restivo was accompanied by a talented young kid named Jordan Ferreira, and said, "First we're going to play a love song, then we'll politically charge it up." Awesome.

There was a whoa-oh singalong for us on that one that I didn't catch the name of, but it was lovely. Then - as Restivo is a major Frank Zappa fan ("And Frank would have plenty to say about now."), next we got "Son Of Orange County" and "More To Say", both off of Zappa's Roxy And Elsewhere album.  Greatness. Restivo then brought up another friend, Elliot Passantino, to join him for an ultra-spirited take on "Rocking In The Free World". That ruled.

Morello himself played for us next, opening up with what he called, "An old Negro spiritual," but was in fact an acoustic, "Guerilla Radio" from his Rage Against The Machine catalog. His harmonica filled in for the electric guitar solo that is customary, and everyone simply loved it, screaming along with "All HELL can't stop us now!" until we were hoarse. So good ... see for yourself:

After telling a story about how the Morellos literally single-handedly integrated his hometown of Libertyville, Illinois as the ONLY African American kid in town. "When you come from where I come from, there's only one way out and one way back," said Morello, and launched into a new one, "Interstate 80". He stomped on his box, wailed on his harmonica, and brought us all along with him down that highway. After that firestorm, Morello took a big sip from his glass and said, "It's not Firebrand Fridays without Daddy's apple juice." Ha! Sated, he introduced the next one by saying that it's Bruce Springsteen's favorite Nightwatchman song, and delivered "Branding Iron" to a totally stone silent room. Powerful stuff. 

"It's the 100 year Anniversary of the death of Joe Hill ... he was the original Nighwatchman, and they killed him for it ... but the future is unwritten," taught Morello before he went into "House Gone Up In Flames." Then, as it's the 10th Anniversary of awful Katrina (a CRIME) where we spent time working with local musicians to clean up their homes, for them he played "Midnight In The City Of Destruction", all haunting and perfect. The room was again pin drop quiet. For Morello's last song, he brought up Jake Clemons, his band mate the past couple years in Springsteen's E Street Band, and the son of E Street legend, Clarence. "It Begins Tonight" may never have sounded better than when lit up with the finesse of Clemons' saxophone. He laid into a solo that knocked all our socks off, and all you could hear afterwards was "Wow!" Truly, WOW.

Firebrand is also the name of Morello's record label, and next up was one of Firebrand's artists, Lia Rose from Built For The Sea. I'd never heard her play before, and this was another moment that really called for "WOW". She is something else. She opened with a love song, "Because what's the point of all of this if we don't keep love alive?" and gave us the gorgeous "Secret Stories". Her voice is just sublime, for real. They have a new ep coming out soon on Firebrand and next played one from that appropriately about the homeless, called "Ghosts And Images." It featured some ghosty "Ooohs" and she had the whole crowd clinging to every word. As Rose didn't have the rest of her band with her, she pulled them up on her phone, and sang over their track, "You're A Dead Man". Her voice opened up full throttle, and I'd put them up there with a Portishead or Massive Attack as a sound, but more radical and with more of a point. So, so good ... another huge and wonderful Firebrand Friday discovery!

Jake Clemons was back up next to play his own songs on the acoustic guitar. He mentioned that Genghis Cohen was the first place he ever played solo five years ago, and said tonight's audience was way bigger than when he played there, but way smaller than his audiences the past couple years with Bruce - ha! He seemed a little shy, but let his songs speak for him. "Love'll Never Change" had us stomping and clapping along, right into his next song about a train, and on into the next one about more good love. The People were all the way into it, and Clemons got a whole bunch of new fans on this night. Clemons spoke of how it was so nice to have Morello in E Street, as the other guys were always his uncles, it was nice to have a brother along. He closed with "Embracing The Light", which is pretty much exactly what we were all doing at this point.

The best part of Firebrand Friday shows are always the finale All Star jamborees, and tonight was no different. Everyone (plus Jason Heath!) came back up to sling some "Radical Political Hair Metal, our flag would be a spandex hammer and sickle!" which came in the form of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It"! It was classic to look around and see Mary Morello and  friends' parents with arms up, shouting along and getting out absolutely all frustrations together. Very rock and roll.

Lia Rose took lead on the next one, a beautiful ballad, "Sleep The Pain Away", with all the night's featured gentlemen as her backup singers. It, and she, were perfect. Loved every note.

"You paid ten stupid dollars for this show, perk up!", demanded Morello, and boy, did everyone snap to! Not that they needed to, but it can always be taken up another notch, the wisdom for these shows goes. When Morello played the opening notes to "The Road I Must Travel", people knew it and shouted for it. This Nightwatchman singalong is now a crowd favorite, and each and every person followed the instructions to "Sing along like Pirates! In Solidarity!" Again ... hoarse.

"Now is when we pass the ironic champagne bucket," said Morello as the time had come for people to pony up more for PATH if they could, and felt it was worth more than $10. I saw piles of $20's in there as the bucket went by, so you know people are taking these nights - and the need out there among our fellow men and women - seriously, and loosened their wallets. Morello and Clemons played some slow jams during this process, with Morello shouting, "Hurt 'em with the love power, Jake!" Which he effectively did.

We got the E Street jam "Pay Me My Money Down" next, with Clemons throwing down his "Superfun sax shit", delighting the obvious E Street superfans in the room (like still in Born In The USA shirts superfans) and the rest of us alike. Morello and Clemons took off into the crowd for an instrumental conga line front to back and back, and everyone just lost it. "These are Firebrand Fridays! Take it easy, but take it!!!", shouted Morello, before adding that Clemons was going to bring us home with a musical prayer. Clemons then delivered the most beautiful saxophone instrumental you've ever heard, leaving I'm pretty sure exactly zero dry eyes in the house. The other musicians stood behind him with heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them as they listened to their friend perhaps communicating with his late Father. It was both heavy and stunningly gorgeous, and as the last breathy note faded out, Morello put his arm around Clemons with brotherly love, and they all walked off to ears-ringing-still applause.

It was one of those nights that you just felt lucky to be there, but also just to be alive. To live in a world where there are still good people still doing good things, and having a damn good time while doing it. Truly and absolutely life affirming, truly and absolutely grateful to get to be a part of it.

Please join us old timers next time ... you never know what you will discover, but you do know you will have contributed to something great.