TODAY’S MUSE: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

DAILY MUSE | Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in Britian. Today is the 40th of its release in the US. In honor of it, and the immense creativity offered by The Beatles over the years they were together, I offer links to various Sgt. Pepper homages.

Documentary called “The Making of Sgt. Pepper”

A mini documentary done on the 20 year anniversary

The portion of the ABC’s ‘Revolutions’ documentary regarding the album

Paul discussing the album

More dicussion about the creative backgound of the album

Paul and Bono’s version at Live 8

Kelly Clarkson’s version on Americn Idol. I have to say, she does have a killer voice

Animated version of the Sgt. Pepper song from the movie ‘Yellow Submarine’

Cover Art outakes

ABC News report yesterday

Another News Report

Here’s a real trip… a Japanese Beatles tribute band

I’m spending the night in tribute listening to my brother Jay’s band “The British Beat” playing at the Central Cafe in Palinville, CT. He’s ‘Ringo’. My brother Terry just got asked to join the band as ‘George’, although he is not playing tonight. If anyone is in the area, come on out an join us. It’s a fun evening of sing-along.

TODAY’S MUSE: Neko Case

DAILY MUSE | Neko Case’s “Hold On, Hold On” is one of my favorite songs from last year. The studio recording and something about her voice give it the feel of 1960’s pop classic– one of those songs that sound inevitable. Here it is sung live.

Learn about TODAY’S MUSE here.
See all TODAY’S MUSE here.

TODAY’S MUSE: Fairground Attraction

DAILY MUSE | As I listen to music like Madeleine Peyroux and Norah Jones, who have garnered popularity nowadays, I recall one of my favorite groups from the late 80s– Fairground Attraction. They had one phenomenal album called “The First of A Millions Kisses”, which did well in alternative programming radio stations at the time, but did not fair that well in general POPularity. I listen to them now ( in relation to Peyroux and Jones) and think how much they were ahead of their time. How their music is still fresh and new. How every song on that album had a great hit-like hook… kinda like how the Cranberry’s first album was as well. FAs sound and sensibility seems to be a strong precursory influence of the current popularity of Peyroux and Jones and the like– which is a very good thing. Check out a few links below and listen to the sounds of Fairground Attraction.

Find My Love

Clare

Not sure what this video has to do with their music, but here’s another one of their tracks– Perfect

Live TV footage- Smile And A Whisper

More live TV footage- The Wind Knows My Name

The Moon is Mine- Live (not great sound)

More live concert footage (not great sound)- Allelujah

Find My Love (Live)

Learn about TODAY’S MUSE here.
See all TODAY’S MUSE here.

Sol Lewitt 1928-2007

DAILY MUSE | Sad news today. Connecticut’s own Sol Lewitt, modernist, minimalist and conceptual artist, died Sunday due to complications from cancer. Best known for his Wall Drawing series– those grandly scaled, vividly colorful drawings integrated into architectural spaces filling the frame of walls from edge to edge– he remained constant in his themes throughout his career; geometric and repetitive shapes, timeless childlike constructs on paper or in “structures” (as he referred to his sculptural work) that almost seemed obvious or inevitable. Their simplicity conjures up a sense of “I can do that!”. Not in that horrid, insulting way that is often applied to artists, but in the best sense… in that it offers permission and confidence to a viewer to step in and do it too. In that respect, his work always inspires creativity.

Lewitt’s work, while part of the minimalist and conceptual schools of thought which often inspire work so heavily intellectual that it can alienate viewers, never had that effect on me. His work was always humble and joyful– never pretentious.

Please enjoy some images of an enviable oeuvre from a masterful artist.