Classic Rock Documentaries!

Classic Rock Documentaries!

By Kristin Battestella

Are you displeased with modern tunes? Then let's relive the sounds of decades yore with these classic groups and music heavyweights! 
 

Classic Albums: Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – This 1997 hour from the Eagle Rock and VH1 series focuses on the behind the scenes turmoil, relationships, and technicalities invigorating Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and John and Christine McVie in making the famed 1977 Rumours album – the second from the group’s revitalized incarnation. The genesis and creation of hits such as “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams,” “Gold Dust Woman,” “Don’t Stop,” and more are dissected from the initial writing to changes in the recording sessions and album finalization. While the before and after samplings of the tunes and the conversations on the ups and downs are interesting, the tone sometimes wavers between being overly tender or laid on heavy in some spots. Perhaps the band members aren’t exactly orators in discussing their musical thought processes either, and their accents may confuse some viewers, too. However, classic rock fans will enjoy the nostalgic behind the scenes, and music students interested in the mechanical aspects or songwriters relating to the emotional translations involved can definitely learn plenty here. This is a fun, informative, introduction to the saga that is Fleetwood Mac, and perhaps most importantly, it gives you an itch for a complete Rumours listen.

Fleetwood Mac: The Dance – After a hiatus, Christine McVie returned to the lineup for this 1997 concert video chock full with “The Chain,” “Dreams,” “Gold Dust Woman,” “Gypsy,” “Rhiannon,” “Don’t Stop,” “Go Your Own Way,” and many more. It’s nice to hear lesser-performed compositions – those that depend on McVie’s appearance such as “Everywhere,” “You Make Lovin’ Fun,” and “Over My Head” as well as then-newer tunes like “Temporary One” and “Bleed to Love Her.” Stevie Nicks sounds slightly different of course, but McVie sounds the same, everyone looks good, and its great to hear the entire incarnation together with a fun moment for John McVie on “Say You Love Me.” The subtitles are also helpful with the sometimes cryptic, poet lyrics, and Nicks, McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham give some information on several songs. Though well edited, entertaining, and swiftly filmed, this concert isn’t a big spectacle production like more recent shows. Technical music audiences may even find this under produced despite the subdued nineties norm and intimate, small session feeling – which is as it should be with essentials like “Landslide” and the intense “Silver Springs.” However, Buckingham provides the rock outs and guitar genius with “I’m So Afraid,” “Big Love,” “Go Insane,” and “My Little Demon,” and Mick Fleetwood makes his usual crazy extreme drumming faces, too. Granted, this 90-minute performance has some confused vision – is this a comeback tour of past hits or a new release of special material with some classics for good measure? The companion CD has a different track listing and I could do without the USC Marching Band finale, but “Songbird” is a lovely coda for the piece. Fans of the band can certainly delight, and younger audiences newly discovering Fleetwood Mac can take the next step with this complete lineup and unique performance.

Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender – This full-length 2012 retrospective focuses on the lead singer of Queen and his more unusual successes, missteps, and solo projects apart from rock groupdom including early ballet concerts, musical performances, and operatic tours in his final years. From the decadence of the seventies club scene, career heights, and questionable associates to frank discussion on criticism of Mercury, his generally closeted media approach, and reaction to his untimely AIDS related death; new interviews from friends, fellow musicians, and industry alums help paint an intriguing picture. Rare archive footage, music videos, and interview segments both shed light on Mercury’s shyness regarding his private life and contribute to the alluring dichotomy of his flamboyant stage persona. It’s interesting to hear his own thoughts on living it up in comparison to his admitted difficulty in trusting people or talking with others, “The more I open up, the more I get hurt.” How could Freddie Mercury think he was boring and be terrified of being alone? The accents may be tough to understand for some, but live renditions of songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” and “Barcelona” are simply delightful along with unreleased demos; home recordings; samples featuring Michael Jackson, Luciano Pavarotti, and Montserrat Caballe; and more lesser seen or heard solo compositions from Mercury’s Mr. Bad Guy album. Longtime rock fans or budding Queen enthusiasts seeking an astute peek at Mercury’s musical legacy will love this.

In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story – Take a lesson 21^st century whippersnappers! I’ve finally been able to see this complete hour and a half 1999 special focusing on the man to whom even The Bee Gees, Bono, and Bruce Springsteen bow. It’s simply glorious to see vintage footage and interviews and hear the late too soon Orbison speak of early Sun Records anecdotes, his childhood musical inspirations, devastating family tragedies, and his final resurgent success. And let’s not forget all those awesome, quintessential tunes such as “Pretty Woman,” “Only the Lonely”, “Running Scared,” my favorite “Crying,” and more concert scenery amid conversations with contemporaries like Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Chet Atkins, Tom Petty, and next generation stars like Elvis Costello and Chris Isaak. If one wants to learn how music should sound, one must digest as much Orbison as possible. It’s that simple, and this set is a great place to begin. I could go on and on and on – some of the first CDs I ever had were Orbison albums – but I’ll stop now. I mean, Barry Gibb calls Orbison “The Voice of God.” Yeah, that about says it.

A Very Special Christmas

A Very Special Christmas is Uneven, but with Some Solid Holiday Gems.

By Kristin Battestella

What better way to get one’s charity on then with the festive 1987 compilation A Very Special Christmas? Though dated and uneven thanks to some instant eighties efforts, this multi platinum release has served the Special Olympics well with its offering of a little bit of holiday for everyone. 

The Pointer Sisters ring in A Very Special Christmas with the catchy Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Some of the grooving style and new harmony rhythms are decidedly eighties dated, sure. However, the old-fashioned verses are all here, and it’s nice to have some length instead of today’s quick and kiddie renditions. We still hear this version on the radio, too - unlike this lesser heard Winter Wonderland rendition by The Eurhythmics. Although the opening eighties beats and Annie Lennox’s effortless vocal delivery carry a fitting ethereal quality, the unusual synthesizers and high tech arrangement are too fast. The music feels jarring as it contrasts Annie’s slower notes, breezy lyrics, and perfect tone. This isn’t un-listenable, but Annie Lennox and no music would have been plenty festive enough. It would have been nice to have a bigger carol that only she can deliver, but Whitney Houston keeps the big notes coming with Do You Hear What I Hear?, the first spiritually themed track on A Very Special Christmas. The tune begins slowly with more hip and pop styled echoes, but Whitney answers each refrain as the backing choir sets the mood with high notes and big gospel feeling.

Bruce Springsteen, of course, has a much cooler seasonal touch with the live recording of Merry Christmas Baby. The E Street Band jams and Bruce opens with some fun before getting to this effortless, infectious, pop ode. Perhaps it’s a touch dated, yet this rendition remains hip in all the right ways. This doesn’t seem like the longest track on A Very Special Christmas, and one can listen to this tune year round without thinking twice. Yes, there’s something about Santa in there somewhere, but couples can dance under the mistletoe with this one for sure. We probably also think of the Pretenders as bigger, edgy rockers, but Chrissy Hinds surprisingly delivers the melancholy merriment of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Her voice may be slightly flat or off key at times, but this is an excellent quirk matching the sad lyrics here. Ironically, the pace is more upbeat than most renditions, but there’s still time to hold all the bittersweet notes. Also one of the longer tracks on A Very Special Christmas, but this one is without any of those of the time bells and whistles and thus remains downhearted and yet so refreshing. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, however, is an erroneous country rock cowbell ditty from John Cougar Mellencamp. It’s fast, happy, and just too weird to rock out to this misunderstood kid’s tune. Wouldn’t a jamming adult such as the Cougar realize what was really going down under the mistletoe?

Unfortunately, lovely as it is, Sting’s rendition of Gabriel’s Message also seems out of place on A Very Special Christmas. It’s a wonderfully moody and medieval chant of solstice miracles and Christ’s birth, but it’s the shortest track here and certifiably squashed in the set listing before Christmas in Hollis. Run-D.M.C.’s head nodding rap single recounts a great story of Santa, family cooking, and good times indeed. Perhaps this is also out of place vintage hip hop among the other decidedly poptastic selections, but it’s all in such cool, festive fun that we don’t mind. U2 also delivers dang fine with Christmas Baby Please Come Home thanks to Bono’s strong, happening vocal. He’s a little bit angry yet edgy enough and perfectly unhappy in his titular plea. My only complaint is this is too short at just over two minutes.  

Also just as big as the original with lots of current airplay, Madonna’s Santa Baby recalls Eartha Kitt’s reissue with perfect bubble gum and kitschy. It’s not quite her usual delivery style, but it fits her then Material Girl persona and the ring a bling bling needed for this Tiffany’s ode. By contrast, The Little Drummer Boy’s low key child perspective isn’t easy to pull off, yet Bob Seger has the soulful rock range required. The rhythmic beats set the mood with increasing intensity while entering instruments finish the rousing carol. Run Rudolph Run doesn’t need to do much to be cool, and Bryan Adams harkens to the Chuck Berry original for this hip, grooving, easy to sing along with titular rift. We feel like we’ve hear this song a lot even if we haven’t necessarily heard Adams’ rendition that often. This version is live, too, with clapping and toe tapping fun to be had.

Surprisingly, Bon Jovi’s Back Door Santa misses with its holiday in full on stadium fashion. It’s tough to understand the naughty lyrics, and clearly more about the guitar set rather than any kind of seasonal sentiment. Since A Very Special Christmas is a decidedly more secular and popular album, it’s also unusual to end the session with two carols. Alison Moyet might not be as famous as the others here, but her The Coventry Carol is likewise all about some dated synthesized echoing. It’s mellow, poetic, and medieval, but also difficult to enjoy the spirituality of it thanks to the strange arrangement. Fortunately, we can count on Stevie Nicks putting the album to bed in style with Silent Night. Her superbly low vocals, backing melodies, and spiritual spins add to this already most inspiring carol. Nicks varies the traditional design just enough for more lift up while she takes her solemn time. The ad libbed confessional refrains are distinctly gospel but also hip at the same time, sending A Very Special Christmas out with a positive spiritual message.

Though readily available on CD or download along with the rest of the A Very Special Christmas charity releases, there are different reissues that swap Back Door Santa for Bon Jovi’s later I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas, a much more pleasant, easy listening, but stirring tune. I’m surprised this series doesn’t go for these types of global and peace loving songs for it’s listings such as Peace on Earth or Happy Xmas (War is Over). Some of the succeeding albums often repeat the same tunes and tracks, and it really seems like there is little rhyme or reason to this debut compilation’s theme or the uneven, nay, all over the place track order. However, this mix of instant of the time singers, pop, rap, and rockers understandably capitalizes on every fan demographic and their need to buy their favorite’s potentially elusive or rare and obscure holiday single. This album ideology is in the best interest of benefitting the Special Olympics certainly, but I’m not sure such a charity model works with today’s individual download opportunities or invisible resale values. A Very Special Christmas is a little eighties preppy with a Members Only style at times, but it delivers some holiday standards and timeless gems – which is perfect for the contemporary listener’s picking and choosing playlist. Older, sophisticated audiences can collect their favorites for a nostalgic party or keep the office merry, mature, and generous with A Very Special Christmas.

Pride and Passion: Italians in America

Pride And Passion: The Italians In America…Thank You!

By Kristin Battestella

 

A documentary about the pivotal contributions Italians have made in America over the centuries. It’s about fricking time! I stumbled upon Pride and Passion: The Italians In America on NJN and fell in love with this historical and heart warming tale about the Italian experience in America. From intimate portraits of Italian home life to historical moments in American history, Pride and Passion is a delight for Italian Americans, young and old, and even those who aren’t blessed with a penchant for cannoli.

 

Tony LiBianca narrates the history of Italians in America from Amerigo Vespucci to today. Interviews with famous Italians from all walks of life-including Robert Loggia, Tommy Lasorda, Yogi Berra, Joe Paterno, and Geraldine Ferraro- highlight vintage photographs, video, and letters. From stereotyping and prejudices to Italian achievements by Guglielmo Marconi and even Madonna among other famous and behind the scenes Italians, Pride and Passion: The Italians In America harkens to the Italian Renaissance as it beautifully brings to life the Italian American experience.

 

Let me get one thing out of the way. Yes this PBS special is found often on the New Jersey Network station, the same station that brings us Patrizio Buanne, Tony Bennett, and plenty of other Italian programming. It’s understandable considering New Jersey’s Italian American population. We want to see programs to which we can relate. Yes, I am an Italian from New Jersey, but no, we aren’t all mobsters and double life criminals ala The Sopranos, Goodfellas, or The Godfather. Do I deny watching these fine programs? Of course not, I highly recommend them, but NJN is in a way playing into the stereotypes that Pride and Passion is fighting against.

 

I must, however, indulge in Pride and Passion’s exposure of famous folks who aren’t known as peeps whose names end in vowels: Bernadette Peters, Susan Sarandon, Henry Fonda, director Garry Marshall, Pat Cooper, Bobby Darin, Regis Philbin, Bruce Springsteen- and in some cases giving their real names! It’s a shame to hear of folks who had to change their names or deny their immigrant relatives to rise among America’s celebrity. Thankfully, Pride and Passion also has lovely sentiments like Tommy Lasorda saying folks like Joe DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra made him proud to be Italian.

 

Folks younger than myself may not know who a lot of these quintessential Italian Americans are- Valentino, Lanza, Frank Capra-or if they do, perhaps in parody. Sinatra? You mean the guy who sings the theme on Married…With Children? Pride and Passion: The Italians in America is very bittersweet when highlighting the blending and loss of Italian tradition in America today. Actor Robert Loggia comments that his grandparents were ‘Italian Italians’, his parents were ‘Italian Americans’, he is ‘American Italian’, but his kids are simply ‘American Americans’.

Now that I myself am growing older and elder I-talian relatives are passing away, I am beginning to see that being an Italian American is, in fact, different. My husband says not everybody has a Sicilian mother cooking sausage and ‘gravy’ or the Veneto father cooking seafood in white wine. He didn’t know of such things till he met me, and he suspects that when my nieces leave their grammy’s house, they don’t say arrivederci or grazie to the plain old American kids at school. These comments puzzled me. On one hand, I don’t think I’m any different than any other kid raised in the melting pot that is the United States. Everybody eats spaghetti and goes to ristorantes and quotes The Godfather. Then again, I find it shocking and sad that there are people out there who haven’t grown up with grandparents cursing in Italian, making homemade wine, or listening to Luciano Pavarotti. Not that all American Italians know how to curse in Italian or make wine or like opera. I don’t mean it in a snotty way, but if you don’t have any such culture and heritage and appreciation, what is there?

Pride and Passion had me thinking about this past Thanksgiving at my parent’s house. The poor Polish and German sons- in-law have gotten used to ravioli, lasagna, and cannolis along side debates about using real anisette in pizzelles and which goes better with the turkey, the red or white wine? Certainly there are still others having a bit of Italian in their households, right? Are we really a thing of the past? Will we be gone in the next century just like natural red heads?

Pride and Passion: The Italians In America also makes me a little angry. If Italians have been and perhaps to lesser degree still are such an important part of American cuisine, sports, and cinema, why aren’t there more programs about Italian society? Forgive me for being rude, but we can have an incoming black president, yet we’ve never had an Italian leader of the free world. (Enter Mussolini joke here.) E! comedian Chelsea Handler can talk about Jewish clout in Hollywood on Chelsea Lately to her heart’s content, but food critics were initially angry at the Food Network for hiring Everyday Italian’s Giada De Laurentiis- the too pretty granddaughter of Dino De Laurentiis. We can’t joke about blacks and Jews but its ok to exploit Italians as hairy, gold wearing, gun toting mobsters who end every other word with an ‘a’. Ever hear the one about the Pasta diet? ‘You walk pasta the bakery…’ My eleven year old niece didn’t get it. Upon explaining it, she said, “But we don’t talk that way.”

Unfortunately, it appears the DVD of Pride and Passion: The Italians In America is only available through PBS telethons and sponsorship gifts. Additional footage and music samples accompany the disc. Internet research turns up a similar program also including Robert Loggia’s commentary; Our Contributions: Italians in America. Some of the interview footage for Pride and Passion looks fairly old as well, and the two programs may be part and parcel one and the same.

Whether you are Italian or not, cultural buffs and fans of American history will enjoy Pride and Passion. Old school folks may get quite emotional as memories of their Italian ways come back to them. Unlike that commercial where Mom has to block the mobsters for being too violent for the kids, Pride and Passion: The Italians In America is ideal for family history collectors to share with the next generation or teachers looking for educational film. Pride and Passion is worth the DVD or PBS schedule search. So put on the Connie Francis records and make like you’re a guido already!