The Labra brothers are a group of five brothers who originated in Youngstown, Ohio. Their names are Adrian Labra, who is the lead guitarist and singer, followed by Cristian Labra, who is the bands spectacular bass guitarist and vocalist, David Labra, the saxist who contributes with vocals, Antonia Labra, who is the percussionist, on the drums we have Matt Hayes, and the keyboardist is Danny Svenson. With music surrounding them as children, due to their musically inclined parents, it was only natural that they banded together to play music as a career. We had first discovered them in 2015, after meeting them at a show we attended and we found their song "The Middle” to be so uniquely creative, that we just had to share it with our listeners!
Classified as a mix of Blues and Folk/Country vibes, they are described as being “Uniquely made to play music” and “Soulfully ambitious that you just can’t stop enjoying them”. They were reviewed as the “Best Latin Rock Band” by the Cleveland Magazine in 2023. Their newest contribution to music, ‘Be Cool’ has shown just how much the Labra Brothers have improved over the years since we have known them.
In an interview with our program director to learn the facts about the Labra Brothers, he quoted them to, “have great Harmonies and truly loveable songs,” and that it has been “great to see them building up their success to the level it is today.”
Overall, the Labra Brothers are a revered group of talented artists whose fame has built and built over the years, and has no stopping point in sight. It has been amazing to see them grow and I would highly recommend seeing them live.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
In the fall of 1966, something happened. A television program appeared on NBC, that would defy all odds and ultimately deny all naysayers, 'The Monkees' premiered on Monday, September 12, to a waiting world. Inspired by the ongoing sensation known as The Beatles, this was a TV show about an aspiring rock and roll band, four young men trying to make it in show business, but never succeeding, in the series at least. Reality proved a very different animal, as the fictional band became a real band with real hits, big hits, and sold out concerts.
"It was like Leonard Nimoy actually becoming a Vulcan," Micky Dolenz often said of the Monkees, the band he handled most of the lead vocals for as well as playing the role of their drummer. All members of the band did have some musical background, but they were hired to play roles, not to be musicians. That is until guitarist Michael Nesmith threatened producer Don Kirshner, famed behind the scenes creative force and music supervisor of the show. After punching a hole in the wall and claiming, "that could have been your face," to Kirshner, Nesmith walked out with the show's producers and other band members fully behind him.
What this meant was that not only did The Monkees begin to have creative control over their music, writing their own songs, playing on and producing the records, but by the second season of the show, the wheels had truly come off the wagon. Gone was the laugh track, something no ‘sitcom’ lived without at the time, also gone for the most part, were the cliché story lines. Instead, that second season started including references to current events including drugs, hippies, war, violence not to mention being one of the first television shows to 'break the fourth wall' and periodically reference the fact that this was a television show, going as far as stating "you see one episode, you've seen them all" in "Monkees Go To Paris' which had no other dialog as it simply showed the guys roaming around Paris.
The final episodes of the series, in the spring of 1968, included guests like Frank Zappa and folk singer Tim Buckley, at the request of the band members. At the end of the second season of the show, in the spring of 1968, the plug was pulled, the Pre-Fab Four had outstayed their welcome. Once the show was off the air, the records stopped selling, 'Valeri' being their last stop in the Top 10 in February of 1968. The band had been in talks to make a full length feature film, and now that the show had ceased, they had time to do so.
The forces behind 'Head' were two of the guys behind the television show, Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson, who had begun working with a new friend, a struggling actor named Jack Nicholson. This team, along with input from all four Monkees, Dolenz, Jones, Nesmith, and Tork, would create a cinematic adventure unlike any other. It was, in so many ways, a suicide note left by the band, but instead of taking their own lives, they were sacrificing their career. Poking holes in the facade many critics, hippies and the like, had long criticized The Monkees as being. Honestly, it has only been in the last couple decades where people began to 'forgive' the 'pre-fab four' for merely being, and trying to make a living.
I could go on how, in more ways than one, the Monkees (the band and the show) were among the most subversive entities of the 1960s, as they brought the counterculture its music, clothes, attitude, politics, and lifestyle, or at least references to, right into living rooms across the world. 'Head' would take that spirit and let it run wild. The film essentially begins with all four Monkees jumping off a high level bridge into the ocean below, thus committing suicide of the 'manufactured' pop group. "You say we're manufactured, on that we all agree, so make your choice and we'll rejoice in never being free," they sing in the montage scene known as 'Ditty Diego/War Chant' which leads into the next scene where they are in combat scene where you hear the soldier, who is wearing a football uniform, kick the dirt and say "let's get this game over with," a not so subtle reference to the Vietnam War. And if that didn't drive the point home, using the infamous footage of General Nguyen Ngoc Loan's summary execution of a Viet Cong prisoner on a Saigon street, mixed in with live concert footage of the band performing, couldn’t be any more obvious. The foursome tear apart seemingly every aspect of the pop culture bubble they lived in, and at times, works as an almost stream of consciousness style of film presentation, as one scene stumbles into the next with no real connection, at least not at first.
"I'd been writing and Rafelson and I were talking, and I said, 'Bob I can write a movie about anything," recalled Jack Nicholson in a 2010 interview. "And he said 'can you write a movie for the Monkees?' And I said 'The Monkees? You gotta be kidding me,' cause I didn't really know them, all I knew was it was a successful television show about a rock and roll group. So I went home that night and thought up two movies and I go into Bert (Schneider), and I didn't know Bert or how cool he was, and I go well, I got two movies for you. One of 'em I can guarantee you will be as big a hit as ‘A Hard Day's Night,’ and with equal certainty, the other one I can guarantee you won't make a nickel and he says, 'I want the second one!'"
The cast is long and odd, including Victor Mature, Dennis Hopper, Annette Funicello, Frank Zappa, Sonny Liston, Terri Garr, and Toni Basil, to name a few. Aside from picking themselves apart, they take digs at the counter culture itself throughout. True satire set in a hallucinogenic haze. "It made no more sense to me than it ever had," recalled Funnicello about seeing the final product in a 1994 interview. "But it was a challenging, offbeat role, and I was happy to play it." The title of the film only appears on screen as the film credits roll at the end. It was an inside joke among the film makers thinking their next film could be promoted as, "from the people who gave you ‘Head.’" The fact that all this was happening in a film starring a band whose fans were primarily between the ages of 7 and 13 makes it even more bizarre. "Jack and I wrote ‘Head’ in strange places, closets and basements," said Bob Rafelson, "Sometimes under the influence of Timothy Leary's little pills."
The film opened in New York then spread with little fanfare. A box office giant it was not. In more recent years many a critic has had a reappraisal of the movie, what it meant and how it fit in with the coming Hollywood renaissance. It is no small coincidence that the trio behind this movie would go on the following year to make 'Easy Rider,' one of the most significant films of the counterculture, as the1960s gave way to the 1970s. Both Rafelson and Schneider stated over the years that without 'Head,' there would have been no 'Easy Rider.' The Monkees, no surprise, were left in the dust, though of course, over time many have made their peace with the whole of 'The Monkees,’ including the band members themselves, most notably Michael Nesmith who was the last holdout, never fully appreciating the impact they had on people, until shortly before he died in 2022. Do not view the film and try to make sense of it. It truly is a Pop Art meets Pop culture exercise in surrealism which was, of course, very heady stuff for a band considered the Bubblegum Pariah of the music industry. "There's something about ‘Head,’" added Dolenz, "something about the sensibility, and the way Bob and Jack captured the spirit of the moment on film."
Though Monkees records continued to be released as they were still under contract to Colgems/RCA Records, with the series off the air, sales evaporated. Many stores that were selling box loads just a year prior weren't even stocking their new releases. Their contract had allowed for one final television special. ’33 & 1/3rd Revolutions Per Monkee’ finally aired in April of 1969, following the flop of ‘Head.’ Hipsters, music critics, and the like, really had no idea what the Monkees were truly about.
Fellow musicians, however, were much more forgiving, and the Monkees were tight with such legends as Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, Harry Nilsson, the Beatles, and many others. The soundtrack itself includes some of the most wonderful music ever released under the Monkees name. Along with the band, it features contributions from Neil Young, Carole King, Ry Cooder, Stephen Stills, and Jack Nitzche, among others. If the main theme of the film, 'The Porpoise Song', is not among the most beautiful records ever made, then I know nothing about music. Obviously The Beatles are at the center of most all pop music made in the last 60 years, but in my world, it’s always been about the Monkees, and always will be.
Just for the record here, I was (still am) obsessed with the Monkees. I had read about this movie in the works, in the pages of 16 Magazine, but by the time of release in fall of '68, their records weren't on the charts, and my local record store wasn't stocking it. So, at age 6, I placed my first special order for an LP! When it arrived, complete with silver mirror like sleeve, I was thrilled. Upon seeing the film, though unable to fully understand most of what was going on, it only added to my love of the band. The Monkees have never left me, and I wouldn't be who I am if not for them. They made me want to become a musician, to write songs, to explore music at every turn, and, to have fun! They are still a huge part of my existence.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
For this week's Summit Essential, we bring you the latest release from AARP upstarts and arguably, the greatest rock and roll band that ever walked the earth. Yes kids, it's The Rolling Stones, and unless you've been in hiding, you are probably aware they have released their first album of new material in nearly 20 years. Taylor Swift was only 16 when 'A Bigger Bang' was released and now she owns the world. Time flies as it changes shapes.
With the death of original drummer Charlie Watts, in 2021, the membership of vintage Stones is down to three; guitarist Ronnie Wood (who joined in 1975) and founding members guitarist Keith Richards and vocalist Mick Jagger. Surely, you've all heard of these fine folks. Well, they have released a new album and truth be told, it's not half bad! The approach the band has used for the past many years is still in place, in other words, you can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need, or so I've heard.
'Hackney Diamonds' was produced by Andrew Watt, a 33 year old hipster producer, best known for his work with non-rockers like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and Post Malone, among others. Watt was brought in, apparently, to give the new tunes a bit of modern polish for this Tik-Tok streaming world I’ve heard about. Remember, Jagger is 80, with Keith right behind, and Wood is a sprightly 76, and honestly, they don’t need to play that game, but that’s where we are. So then, things kick off in fine form with the first single, 'Angry,' a riff driven rocker firmly out of the Stones playbook. It's instantly recognizable as our dear ol' Rolling Stones with its driving riff and Jagger snarl sounding half his age.
Throughout the album, the vintage presence rears its head. 'Get Close' and 'Whole Wide World' both rev up classic sounding riffs, while 'Depending On You' has some nice slide guitar to sweeten the deal. Elsewhere, 'Live By The Sword' (featuring Elton John) falls flat, and 'Bite My Head Off', with the much talked about appearance of Paul McCartney on bass, suffers from the 'it's just a riff, it's not a song’ dilemma the band has often been guilty of.
That being said, the real highlights of the album shine with the country tinged 'Dreamy Skies,' the Keith sung 'Tell Me Straight' and the Muddy Waters cover of 'Rollin' Stone Blues.' The high-water mark of the album, however, comes on the penultimate track, 'Sweet Sounds Of Heaven,' which features a Lady Gaga duet with Jagger. It's on this song in particular that The Rolling Stones sound like The Rolling Stones. It's a gospel blues not far removed, in spirit at least, from the ‘Sticky Fingers’ era Stones. Jagger sounds totally at home, and Gaga adds a dynamic soulful performance that rides tandem with Mick perfectly. Mix in Stevie Wonder on keyboards and it's the crown jewel of the album.
Original bassist, Bill Wyman, along with Watts, both make an appearance on this new album by the way, but like the Elton and McCartney collabs, it's more about the credits than the performances. The truth on The Rolling Stones is, if they had called it a day after their first decade of recordings, exiting after 'Goats Head Soup' in 1973, their legend would have remained the same in terms of quality. Everything they did in those years not only cemented their reputation, but all their recordings from that first decade still rank among the greatest rock and roll records ever made by anyone, so anything else added to the catalog is just icing on the cake.
The final tally is that it really is an alright record, much better than many expected. The sheer fact that they can deliver at this level, 60 years into their career is pretty damn amazing, Mick still defies gravity with not only his physique, but with his vocal chops. If 80 is the new 60, bring it on! The band will defy gravity as well when they hit the road in support of ‘Hackney Diamonds,’ as they continue to break any rules or taboos surrounding aging in rock and roll. So while it's not going to replace 'Beggars Banquet,' 'Exile On Main Street,' 'Aftermath,' or any of their many other classic albums, it's a strong late journey entry that stands up tall enough to catch a view other bands have never even attempted, and we God bless them for it!
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
When the Beatles burst into American living rooms on Feb. 9, 1964 via the Ed Sullivan Show, they altered the direction of the universe. That's no exaggeration! There was the world before the Beatles, and the world after. What we have now is the world after the world after, which is a big room in a lot of disarray, most of the old paint peeled off the wall, but a few of the original layers still able to peek through.
The music of the Beatles startled and shook the music world to the core. Countless musicians sited that Sullivan show as the moment they knew they wanted to be a musician while others less musically inclined still pointed to it as a 'one day the world was suddenly in full color' moment. A huge reason the Beatles were not dismissed as temporary entertainment and fodder for the kids was because even those of an older generation knew there was something more to their music than a typical teenage come hither or empty calorie sugary beverage. There was, ahem, substance!
Not wanting to seem like unhip day old bread, countless artists recorded Beatles songs who otherwise wouldn't have given a second listen to these 'long haired' kids from across the pond. Acknowledgement came from the likes of Leonard Bernstein to Frank Sinatra over time. Sinatra famously recording a version of George Harrison’s ‘Something,’ referring to it as the finest Lennon/McCartney composition. It was the thought that counted.
Beatles songs were recorded in the mode of easy listening, country, folk, orchestral, jazz, electronic, you name it with nearly all versions succeeding at one level or another, simply because of the quality of the songs. Here then are a handful of Beatles interpretations, some to be take less seriously than others, but all sincere in their homage. Trust me, there's plenty more where these came from!
"Every Little Thing" by Yes – (1969)
From the album ‘Yes Today’
For many young bands in the mid to late 1960s (and beyond, of course) the Beatles were the ‘go to’ sort of home base. No matter where you lept from there, the Fabs’ influence was always in sight. The entire ‘progressive’ rock movement was easily connected to the Beatles more adventurous and psychedelic work. The oncoming young prog bands saw psychedelia as the jumping off point with a huge untraveled terrain ahead. One of those bands was Yes. Formed in 1968 and quickly began making themselves known. They were snapped up early on by Atlantic Records and set about recording their debut LP in the spring of 1969. That first album opened the door on the possibilities this band had in their future including two references to their early influences., a cover of the Byrds song, ‘I See You,’ emphasizing a jazzy approach with the other being a take on the Beatles ‘Every Little Thing.’ The original was somewhat hidden away on the band’s ‘Beatles For Sale’ LP (‘Beatles VI’ in the U.S.), but despite it’s relative obscurity, was yet another great Lennon/McCartney offering. In yes’ hand’ the song is transformed from a simple pop song into a more dramatic arrangement complete with shades and structures Yes would continue to expand on creating their own unique and wonderful style.
‘Beyond The Valley Of A Day In The Life’ - The Residents (1977)
From the ep: 'The Beatles Play The Residents, The Residents Play The Beatles'
The Residents were, and remain, one of the greatest mysteries in the story of rock and roll. Who were they? Where did they come from? What do they want? So many questions, so much music, yet so few answers. After incubating a couple of years, the Residents would poke their head above ground in 1971, when they send a demo tape to Warner Brothers Records, figuring, if Warner’s had signed Captain Beefheart, there was surely room for this whacked out art project there as well! When WB politely declined, the Residnets started up their own label, Ralph Records, and in 1974 issued their debut titled, ‘Meet The Residents’ with not only title, but cover art ‘borrowed’ in part from the Beatles. A theme had started. Those who heard it were not quite sure what to make of it, while songs like ‘Smelly Tongues’ and ‘Spotted Pinto Bean’ failed to hit the charts! With their identities hidden, there were even rumors that this was, in fact, the Beatles, having a laugh on everyone. It wasn’t, by the way. Two more albums followed and then this legendary single. ‘Beyond…’ is not actually a cover version of any Beatles song, but rather a collage of several, all done, mind you, pre-sampling and pre-digital editing. This was an audio collage that spoke loudly to any astute Beatle fan. The flipside featured a nearly unidentifiable take on ‘Flying’ from Magical Mystery Tour. It became a cult favorite much like the band that served it up and it remains a fascinating piece of work.
'Good Day Sunshine’ – Claudine Longet (1967)
From the album: 'The Look of Love’
Oh Claudine, what have you done? Parisian-American, actress/singer Claudine Longet was a fixture of sorts in the heart of America in the 1960s, due in no small part to her being married to singer Andy Williams. She was on his TV specials, mother of their children, and eye candy for Andy. In 1966 she signed a record deal with A&M Records who knew just how they wanted to market her. It was ‘soft pop’ with jazz overtones, modern day ties and contemporary vibes. Her debut sold very well, going Gold, and charting well. Through early 1970, she released five albums for A&M, all with varying sales and all with Beatles, and or, other contemporary covers. ‘Good Day Sunshine’ pretty much shows her signature style. Was she a good singer? Well, you be the judge. Did she really sing “I’m so pwoud to know he is mine”? Yes, yes she did. She kept recording after being dropped from A&M and kept busy acting until killing her boyfriend in 1975. After divorcing Williams, Longet became involved with Olympic skier ‘Spider’ Sabich. She always maintained that the gun accidentally discharged while he was showing her how to use it and the court found her guilty of ‘negligent homicide’ for which she paid a small fine and served 30 days. Her music lives on at thrift stores everywhere.
‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ – William Shatner (1968)
From the album ‘The Transformed Man’
This is what it’s all about! An artist making the song truly his own by turning it inside out, upside down, over watering it in the garden of musical delights then leaving it out to dry a little too long and yet, despite all odds, it shines.
For years, the album William Shatner made in 1968 was a great inside joke amongst record collectors and, perhaps, a cherished item in any given Star Trek fan’s collection. ‘The Transformed Man’ finds Shatner not so much singing the songs, but rather acting them. The amount of drama infused in each tune is an overload and yes, that’s what makes them funny and what also makes them unique. There we find Bill reciting excerpts from Shakespeare alongside versions of ‘It Was A Very Good Year,’ his stunning version of the Dylan song ‘Mr. Tambourine Man,’ and, this version of ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ which is drenched in lunacy. For years, Shatner dismissed the album, then somewhere along the way, as those of us familiar with it began speaking highly of it, even if in acknowledged comedic ways, he began to embrace his vocal performances of which there are a wonderful handful over the years, including his version of Harry Chapin’s ‘Taxi’ and Elton’s ‘Rocket Man.’ Finally, in 2004, he was convinced to make a new album, spearheaded by Ben Folds. That album, titled ‘Has Been,’ celebrated that signature Shatner style, even making the Billboard charts! Since then, he has occasionally ventured into the recording studio to give more to the fans and has, in more recent times, worked with the likes of Ritchie Blackmore, Johnny Winter, Bootsy Collins, Alan Parsons, and more. Shatner forever!
By Chad Miller - Summit FM Music Director
What's everyone been listening to out there? So much new music coming at us, so little time! However, these songs that might fly under the radar to most are what I've been diggin' these past few weeks!
Like what you hear? Please email me at chad@thesummit.fm and let me know what you think!
IDLES "Dancer"
One of the most viscerally intense live rock bands out there today, IDLES have more than earned their reputation as one of the leaders in the world of modern-day post-punk. The band will return in 2024 with their fifth album "TANGK" out on February 24th on Partisan Records. While the expectation is a similar growl-y and gnarly follow-up to their last album (that included an homage to the iconic Cleveland venue The Beachland Ballroom) the band takes a bit of a turn here by enlisting James Murphy of indie-dance collective LCD Soundsystem to help on this song. His touch adds a throbbing and scuzzy feel to their sound on this particular track. Lead singer Joe Talbot even says about this new album, "I needed love. So I made it. I gave love out to the world and it feels like magic. This is our album of gratitude and power. All love songs. All is love."
Kurt Vile "Another Good Year For The Roses"
The evolution of garage rock singer-songwriter Kurt Vile has really been quite something over the last decade. This new song of his represents another turn in that direction, which appears on his new "Back to Moon Beach" EP out November 17th on Verve Records. It's a long EP in terms of its run time, which could qualify it as a proper LP album, but these slow moving country rock jams that lope along have sort of become his thing nowadays. From his breakthrough album in 2015 with the song "Pretty Pimpin'" (a Summit favorite here) to follow-up albums in recent years that have included more drawn out guitar rock compositions -- and of course a collaborative EP with his songwriting idol John Prine -- the path of Kurt Vile has been one that has been both wonderful and strange. As for me, I'm always eager to see what new direction he takes next.
Sierra Ferrell "Fox Hunt"
I've become a huge fan of this terrific and fascinating rootsy Americana artist ever since the release of her debut album two years ago -- and especially in a live setting. Her performance at this past summer's Nelsonville Music Festival was one of the absolute "best of the fest" in my opinion. She's got big things planned for 2024 with the release of her follow up album, out early next year on Rounder Records. This song jumps out of the gate instantly with huge up-front vocals, outstanding fiddle playing, and the sort of epic sounding woo-woos that bring it all together. Sierra has said that this song is an ode to the hunters of the world from her upbringings in rural West Virginia and beyond. I was also lucky enough to see her performance of this during her opening set for Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats back in September at Jacobs Pavilion in Cleveland.
Slow Pulp "Doubt"
It's been a steady build over the course of the summer with this young indie rock band getting a handful of singles out there in our world of music and non-commercial public radio, and with this song off the Chicago band's second album "Yard" out now via Anti- Records, it may just be a breakthrough moment for them. Joining a crop of similar sounding bands as of late like Momma and Bully and Blondshell with heavy influences as well from the likes of Liz Phair and The Breeders, the combination of grungy sounding rock with subtle and laid-back lyrics makes for a nice blend of gritty alternative sounds from the '90s along with introspective folky storytelling all at the same time. Give this one a listen and it'll slowly get stuck in your brain for sure.
Cat Power "Ballad of a Thin Man"
Oh my goodness! She's always had a knack for covers, having released three full albums of cover songs over the course of her lengthy discography -- and with her possessing arguably the most gorgeously rich and captivating vocals on planet Earth today, what Cat Power (the stage name of singer-songwriter Chan Marshall) has done here is nothing short of magical. Recorded on November 5th, 2022 at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall, this live album "Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert" sees Marshall paying tribute to Bob Dylan with a complete live reimagining of his legendary performance at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in May 1966. This particular live cover of "Ballad of a Thin Man" was one of the initial tracks put out before the album release and is a microcosm of the greatness she commands while performing with not only her sheer magnetism onstage but also her phenomenal singing voice. The album is out November 10th on Domino Records and is truly a must listen. Prepare to be blown away!
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
After parting ways with Art Garfunkel in 1970, Paul Simon felt free to wander musically. The pressures of the huge success the duo had maintained had only gotten larger and Simon wanted to break free of formula. His first solo album, 1972's self-titled release, The two singles from that album were both hits, and incorporated influences from reggae to Brazilian style within Simon's pop format. The follow up, 'There Goes Rhymin' Simon' in 1973, tossed some jazz and gospel into the mix. This was Simon's template and was serving him well.
By 1975, Simon was back on top with 'Still Crazy After All These Years,' and album which even included a brief reunion with Garfunkel on the hit 'My Little Town,’ His high ride was about to crash. Following this Grammy winning, chart topping album, Simon left his record label, and stayed out of the studio for nearly five years, finally issuing 'One Trick Pony' in 1980, along with a film of the same name in which he stared. Not that the album was a flop, but it failed to catch the fire he was riding when he dropped out of sight. The next album, 'Hearts and Bones' fared far worse, barely making the Top 40. By 1984, Simon was in need of another drastic change.
Welcome 1986 and seemingly out of far left field, here comes Simon with and album no one expected. Incorporating a wide variety of styles and influences, Simon created what many would call his solo masterpiece. 'Graceland' was overflowing with energy, fresh air and excitement thanks in large part to all these varied influences. Merging a variety of South African music styles with zydeco, pop, rock and R&B, he created his own take on world music with all roads leading from these distant corners right back to his songbook. Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Youssou N'Dour put their stamp on the recordings as did pop legends the Everly Brothers guested as did Linda Ronstadt, Adrian Belew.
Also lending a hand were Los Lobos, the multi-cultural roots rockers who had been making great strides at the time with their album, 'Will The Wolf Survive.' With Warner Brothers a common label between them, it was suggested by label bosses Lenny Waronker and Mo Ostin that Los Lobos lend a hand to the making of the album. This is where things get interesting.
"We go into the studio, and he had quite literally nothing. I mean, he had no ideas, no concepts, and said, 'Well, let's just jam,' saxophonist Steve Berlin told Jambase in a 2006 interview. "None of us were comfortable; it was like this very alien environment to us. Paul was a very strange guy. The guy was clueless."
"So we go back in the second day, David (Hidalgo) starts playing one of our songs, a song we started working on like an existing Lobos sketch of an idea that we had already started doing. Paul goes, “Hey, what's that?” We start playing what we have of it, and it is exactly what you hear on the record. So we're like, oh, ok, we'll share this song.
"A few months later, the record comes out and says 'Words and Music by Paul Simon' and we were like, what the f--- is this? We tried calling him, and we can't find him. Weeks go by and our managers can't find him. We finally track him down and ask him about our song, and he goes, “Sue me. See what happens.”
On the tour that followed, Simon incorporated a cast of South Aftrican musicians to recreate those sounds live. From the harmless pop of 'You Can Call Me Al' to the album's signature title track, it was unlike anything Simon had taken on before. ‘Graceland’ was a risk that paid off artistically and commercially as the album sold over 15 million copies and snagged a Grammy for album of the year. It remains a key piece of Paul Simon’s catalog and a Summit Essential.
Wellness can be achieved by virtue of completing a journey and maintain a lifestyle. But it can also be magnified by our ability to appreciate and be thankful for the things that we already have! Summit Wellness continues to hum the melody of connection between feeling good and feeling grateful!
Gratitude is a monthly feature contributed by Matt Anthony, Digital Media Producer and on-air host for the Summit FM. Matt reflects on instances where we might uncover more ways to appreciate what’s in front of us, and how those instances might contribute to our overall health and well-being.
The work-day at KDKA radio had been a long one. Aside from the usual radio-station minutiae (along with the daily sword-play that was required of a Browns fan who needed to spiritually survive deep in the heart of Steelers country!), western Pennsylvania had seen its first significant cold snap.
I spent the better part of the day bravely wrapped in a brown and orange hoodie, trying to stay warm, and churning out on-air imaging-promos centered on the station’s traffic and winter-weather coverage. In the late afternoon, while walking across the Fort Duquesne bridge to my car, I realized that I, too, would have to do battle with winter road-conditions. The normal 20-minute drive into our home in the North Hills took more than an hour. I was exhausted, cold, and ready to call it a day.
But when I opened the front door and went to dig out the morning newspaper that was lodged in the snow, I smelled something.
“Donna, is that gas?”
Three phone calls and two hours later, a crew from Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania rolled into the driveway that I had just finished hand-shoveling. There was close to a foot of snow on the ground, it continued to fall, and the temperature was dropping into the lower teens.
“We have to find the shut-off in your yard and turn off the gas,” one of them screamed.
I felt so sorry for this crew. Two of them started in the yard towards the front of the house and dug down into the snow, trying their best to locate the shut-off valve. I couldn’t help. I had absolutely no idea where it was. (“what’s a shut-off valve?”) We stood near the front window, worried about the odor but thankful that we weren’t the ones who had to stand in those miserable conditions and dig. And dig. And dig.
Donna made tea and I took cup after cup of the steaming hot liquid out to them while they slammed shovels into the snow, trying their best to locate that valve hidden underneath. They were appreciative. But, in that frigid weather, the heat of the tea didn’t last long.
Finally, after nearly 90 minutes, one of them screamed, ‘I got it!” They dropped down into the frozen white piles, trying to wedge their tool onto the valve in order to turn it off. Finally, success. The foreman then came to the door.
“There’s a piece I need to re-attach to this and fix it, but I don’t have it with me. We’re going to have to run back to the shop and get a few things. But I need to turn your furnace off until we can get back here. We have another emergency that needs attention. It may be a couple of hours before we’re back. I’m sorry.”
So, we waited. And we waited. And the longer we waited, the colder the house became. Donna ran upstairs and grabbed the spread from the bed and wrapped us in it while we sat on the sofa. I glanced out on to the small back deck where we had a thermometer tacked on to the hand-rail.
9 degrees.
The conditions outside had worsened. The wind gusts blasted the sides of the house. I made a move towards the television to see what the forecast was slated to be overnight.
And then the electricity went out.
We sat on a sofa, draped in a bed-spread in the cold darkness. I wondered about pipes freezing, interrupted intermittently by the woman sitting next to me, whose body was now shivering uncontrollably.
I was helpless. We were helpless. Freezing. Hungry. Worried. But as the gusts intensified outside and the back-deck thermometer registered ‘7’, I suddenly realized that there was much to be grateful for.
Unlike someone trying to survive the night on the streets, we at least had 4 walls to act as a barrier. If I wanted to, I could climb out from under that blanket, sprint over to the refrigerator, and poke around for something to eat in the cold darkness. And, best of all, we actually had help on the way.
Nearly two hours later, with the gauge outside reading ‘2’, the electricity triumphantly returned. And almost simultaneously, a set of headlights illuminated the outside. Columbia Gas had also returned.
Decked out in parkas and winter gear that rivaled any Antarctic explorer, they pierced the frozen tundra with tools and flashlights, the smoke from their breath enveloping the night-air. Clawing, digging, adjusting. Finally, the person who had spoken to us before banged on the front door.
“Let’s go down and crank up that furnace.”
I never thought I’d want to hear 8 words so badly in all my life. Minutes later, next to the glow of his flashlight, the glorious, righteous sound of a furnace resurrecting filled up the basement. He glanced at me, smiling. “Heat, huh!?”
These days, during an arctic evening, when the flurries are pounding the outside and I’m safely and warmly inside as a spectator, I think of that January night in western Pennsylvania, and the gratitude I feel for those who make the heartless effort, the ones who simply do their job because that’s what they’re supposed to do. I’m grateful for those whose mission it is to do whatever is necessary to simply turn on the heat.
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Since bursting on the UK music scene in 1981 with the landmark singles ;New Life,' 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Dreaming Of Me,' Depeche Mode had been laying the groundwork for a massive career. Beyond just making great, catchy pop singles, they were pioneering a new way forward in the 1980s landscape, caring templates for what was possible in that 'new age.'
With each album, they seemed to push forward, testing their own limits and expanding on every idea. They were never content to be cast as simply a 'symth pop' or 'electronic' band. Their music was far deeper rooted than that, something that continued to shince with each release.
By the end of the 1980s the band had become more popular and more respected with albums like 'Black Celebration' and 'Music For The Masses,' A huge tour followed the 'Masses' album, which was filmed by the legendary D. A. Pennebaker and released as '101.' One could view this as the end of the first chapter of the band, who were already focused on the next phase.
"We've always felt we wanted to move on, we never wanted to stick in one position all the time. We're always searching for something new," singer Dave Gahan said in a 1990 interview. "In some ways we've kind of gone backwards in a way. The music that's appealing to us, it's more bluesy sounding, a lot more guitars on there."
Released in March of 1990, 'Violator' was the band's seventh album and showed them covering new ground. The first single from the album was a dramatic change of pace. 'Personal Jesus' is essentially a blues song done up in Depeche style and with a guitar driven riff at it's core. Though unlike the band's signature sound, it was a perfect fit, even making the US Top 30 and over time, becoming one of their most cherished songs.
"We use any kind of instrumentation," Gahan continued. "We don't like to limit ourselves, whatever sound fits the part, we'll use it. You can get easily bogged down by all the technology. Some of the stuff that we've done on this album has been a lot more spontaneous." 'Enjoy The Silence,' Policy Of Truth', and 'World in My Eyes' would follow on the singles charts and help push the album into the Top 10 around the globe. 'Violator' remains a big favorite among the die-hard Depeche fans as well as the casual observer, and we most certainly consider it a Summit Essential!
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
After kicking aound the clubs of New York City at the tail end of the 1990s, the Strokes had begun building momentum and a healthy batch of songs. In 2000, the band signed with the highly respected indie label, Rough Trade, who issued their debut EP, 'The Modern Age.' The EP hit the streets in January of 2001, and quickly had people raving about this new band, wich ultimately led to a bidding war among the major labels.
Signing to RCA Records, the band was rushed into the studio to record their debut album. They would hang on to their indie cred by remaining with Rough Trade in the UK. Working with producer Gordon Raphael, the upstarts from NYC set about creating a modern day classic. The combination of the guitars of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., along with the vocals of Julian Casablancas proved to be a genuine winner.
'This Is It' was not without problems upon release. The UK release was delayed a month before finally hitting stores in August while the US release was held up twice. Once, for controversy of the cover what featured a young woman, sans clothing, with gloved hand on her derriere. This was thought to be too much for the American marketplace. Oh it's a funny world isn't it! Well, isn't it? Then, with new cover art in place, the street date was once again held back due to the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. In light of the attacks, the song ' New York City Cops,' was removed from the album, replaced with a newer song, 'When It Started.'
No sooner was 'This Is It' released and it became a smash, gaining hipster cred across the globe and sending rock critics searching for more and more accolades as 5-star reviews became the norm for this ragged, garage inspired blast. The sound of the Strokes owed a heaping sum to the jagged NYC streets of the Velvet Underground along with bands like the Feelies, Television, the Voidoids and the Modern Lovers. It was a slightly updated take on that sort of vintage cool that had, over the course of the 'Alternative' and 'Britpop' years through 'Electronica' and beyond, had gone out of style.
'This Is It,' 'The Modern Age,' 'Last Nite,' and 'Someday' all raised the band's profile and got a young audience wanting some vintage inspired, yet very contemporary, rock and roll. The short, catchy songs, the band's image and general aloofness, played the right hand to win and in the process, helped focus, along with the White Stripes, Hellacopters and the Cuts, some much needed attention to a seemingly lost approach to rock and roll. Twenty two years on, and the Summit are rather excited to feature this modern day classic on our list of ‘essentials.’
JUST ANNOUNCED!
THE SUMMIT FM PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH ALAN CROSS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2023 AT 7:00 P.M.
ELLET CLC AUDITORIUM - AKRON, OH
The Summit FM is the ONLY station in the United States that plays The Ongoing History of New Music with host Alan Cross. Based out of Toronto, Canada, Mr. Cross is coming TO AKRON for one night only!
Be in attendance for this amazing opportunity. Brad will interview the iconic host and Alan will talk about the history of his iconic show. The Ongoing History of New Music was started in 1993 and is currently the longest running music history documentary program in Canada. In a recent Summit listener survey, it was voted the #1 show on our airwaves.
Tickets for this exclusive event are $10 each with a VIP ticket option for $50, including an exclusive meet and greet with Alan Cross himself.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS NOW
