Rock News Two: The week in pop music

TEMPTRESS LEADS NYC HALLOWEEN PARADE

Temptress, the wild transvestite heavy metal glam rock band that has become a fixture at the New York City Halloween parade, performed live Thursday as part of this year's theme, "Play." The games began with the Chessman's Masquerade, as Parade puppeteers Superior Concept Monsters enacted a living, dancing, chess set. As the pieces broke ranks and revealed the masked revellers hidden within, Sixth Avenue became a stage within a stage, a playground where oppositions became unities, squares became circles, and rules became roles -- creating a new paradigm for problem solving in our troubled world. Adventure Game Theater -- agt.org -- kept the Big Ball rolling, improvising games along the route, while the birds, bees and flowers of the Puppeteers' Cooperative played havoc overhead. Brooklyn's Flying Bridge Project invited everyone "To Dance in the Light of the Moon." Meanwhile Temptress, the rumored inspiration for "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," play several sets on a float themed "Disgraceland" with a special appearance by Shelvis performing "Little Sister," "Jailhouse Rock," "Suspicious Minds" and the Rocky Horror Show theme "Lets Do the Time Warp Again."

PAULA WEST AT THE OAK ROOM

The acclaimed vocalist Paula West used her magic to full force in a bravura opening night performance Tuesday at the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel. Mindful of the Halloween festivities in full swing throughout New York, West started out her set with a gleeful rendition of Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Mr. Tricks." "That song was originally performed in a play by Burgess Meredith, who was playing a kind of administrative assistant to Satan," West deadpanned, prompting an uproar of laughter. For the next hour she held the audience spellbound, backed by the superb Eric Reed trio. West commanded the fabled room, surrounded by its dark oak, and perched intimately between Reed's grand piano in the center of the room and a line of tables she could reach out and touch. Her voice was silky and soulful, brash in its melismatic liberties and witty asides, updating Cole Porter to reference Steven Spielberg and Julia Roberts, glorious on the cabaret staple "Mountain Greenery," sassy on "Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me," softly evocative on the bossa nova "I Will Wait For You" and slinky sly on another Oscar Brown Jr. gem, "The Snake." West's run at the Oak Room continues through Nov. 16.

CMJ MARATHON HITS NEW YORK

The CMJ Music Marathon held its 22nd renewal this week in New York. The CMJ Music Marathon is the largest event of its kind, drawing more than 10,000 attendees from all sectors of the music business. In addition to showcasing thousands of performers in clubs all over the city, CMJ Music Marathon hosts four days of non-stop events, including panels, keynote speeches, film premieres, mentoring sessions, tutorials, demo listening, and an exhibition area. Last year's event was canceled due to the events of Sept. 11, 2001. "We're so thrilled to be looking ahead to CMJ Music Marathon 2002," said CMJ Chief Executive Officer Robert Haber. "Following the extraordinary events of last year, we are really looking forward to providing a dynamic opportunity for our entire constituency -- radio, retail, musicians and the record community -- to gather together and discuss today's changing music industry realities and ponder the ways and means of positively impacting it." The conference also includes CMJ FilmFest. In 1994 "Pulp Fiction" was unveiled at CMJ FilmFest, and for the past three years the event has given its signature award for "Best Use of Music in a Film." CMJ FilmFest is the first of its kind to celebrate the collaborative effort between filmmakers, musicians and composers. This event will explore the current relationship between film and music with a slate of distinctive independent features, shorts and documentaries, as well as major studio premieres.

TOM DOWD DEAD AT 77

Legendary producer Tom Dowd died of natural causes in Florida at the age of 77. Dowd was a pioneer in recording rhythm and blues and jazz records in the 1940s and '50s and went on to become one of the premier producers of soul and rock music in the 1960s and 70s. He was a key figure at Atlantic Records, Stax Records, Miami's Atlantic Records South (Criteria) and Capricorn Records. Dowd produced memorable recordings by Ray Charles, Otis Redding, John Coltrane, Aretha Franklin, Eric Clapton, Cream, Bob Marley, Rod Stewart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Ornette Coleman, Thelonius Monk, Tito Puente, Sam and Dave and many, many, others. Dowd was a magician in the studio. After overseeing a session with Aretha Franklin that yielded the classic "Do Right Woman," someone accidentally hit the tape console and the tape was dislodged, falling to the floor in hundreds of shards. The musicians were horrified, but Dowd told them to break for lunch. When they returned Dowd had spliced the pieces of the tape back together into the version that was released on the record. Dowd was particularly close to the Allman Brothers Band, having recorded many of their greatest records including "Live At Fillmore East" and the epic collaboration between Duane Allman and Eric Clapton, "Layla." The band described Dowd as "producer, friend, confidante, father figure, and most importantly Brother of the Allman Brothers Band ... We are all greatly saddened by has passing."

HENDRIX FAMILY FEUD

Relatives of Jimi Hendrix are locked in battle over the rights to the rock legend's catalog, reports Rollingstone.com. The rights to Hendrix's recordings were returned to his father, Al Hendrix, seven years ago, but since his death last April other family members have been struggling for control. Rollingstone.com reports that Leon Hendrix, the rock star's 54-year-old brother, sued the estate Aug. 16, claiming he was denied his rightful inheritance and seeking to wrest control from Janie Hendrix, 41, who is president of Experience Hendrix, the company that owns and controls Jimi Hendrix's music and image. Then, on Oct. 9, Leon filed a defamation suit against Jamie, claiming she said that Leon and Jimi were only half-brothers. Janie herself is an adopted stepsister with no blood relationship to any member of the Hendrix family. The latest suit also accuses Janie of defrauding the public by her claims that that Experience Hendrix was a "family company" intent on winning rights back for musicians. "Leon and other family members were not allowed to participate in the company's function or operation, or to receive the benefits of those operations," the suit states. Rollingstone.com asserts that Hendrix fans are unhappy with Janie's work on the archive. "She's promised a lot of things that haven't materialized," Steven Roby, author of the just published "Black Gold: The Lost Archives of Jimi Hendrix," told Rollingstone.com. "But aside from putting out an occasional disc for collectors, the fans aren't too happy with her. Instead of new music we get things like golf balls, furniture, boxer shorts. It's pretty embarrassing."

ZYDECO KING ON THE BLOCK

Clifton Chenier's personal items, including his prosthetic leg and crown, are being offered on auction, reports The Times of Acadiana. R. Resse Fuller reports in the Times that a year ago, Herman Fuselier was browsing through eBay when he found Clifton Chenier's accordion on the auction block. Item No.147543437 had a starting bid of $10,000. Fuselier expressed his bewilderment in his weekly "Bayou Boogie" column for The Daily Advertiser. He wrote, "It's like finding 'Lucille,' B.B. King's guitar, in a pawn shop or Louis Armstrong's trumpet with the lawn tools at a garage sale." Fuselier e-mailed the seller of the accordion, but never received a reply. Chenier is the universally acknowledged King of Zydeco, the popularizer of the musical blend of Cajun and rhythm and blues styles. Fuller noted the accordion resurfaced in August at the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Plaisance, with price tags still attached. The seller turned out to be Chenier's wife Margaret, who was also selling his 1984 Grammy Award, his crown, an oil painting titled King of Zydeco, his suit, tuxedo shirts, suspenders, money clip, personal travel photos, wooden crutches and prosthetic leg.

MAGIC BAND REUNION

The reformed Magic Band, the backup group for rock legend Captain Beefheart, is set to play three live dates - one in the United States -- Los Angeles, June 2003 -- and two in the United Kingdom -- London and East Sussex, April 2003. The band also plans to release an album of the reformed Magic Band playing Beefheart classics in 2003. The new line-up for all the gigs consists of John French on drums, Gary Lucas on guitar, Denny Walley on guitar and Mark Boston on bass. Don Van Vliet a.k.a. Captain Beefheart will not be appearing. The Los Angeles and East Sussex dates will be part of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival, curated by Matt Groening in L.A. and Autechre in East Sussex.

OSBOURNE GAG ORDER

New York Magazine reports that Sharon Osbourne is requiring workers on her planned New Year's Eve birthday party to sign confidentiality agreements. The event, scheduled for the Beverly Hills Hotel, will also mark the 20th anniversary of her marriage to Ozzy Osbourne. New York described the agreement as a two-page document in which workers are constrained from talking about the Osbourne family in any manner that "may harm, disparage, demean, or reflect negatively or poorly upon or cause injury to the reputation, character or career of any of the Osbourne parties." Sounds like it will be fun working this gig.

SYMPHONY X HOMERS

"The Odyssey," due out Nov. 5 on InsideOut Music America, is a bid by the New Jersey progressive rockers Symphony X to break through to an American audience after a career of success overseas. Over the past decade the band has established itself on the European heavy metal circuit, but "The Odyssey" is an attempt to establish a new identity for the group based on blending western classical and rock influences. "Right from the beginning, we wanted to get back to heavy, raw and aggressive riffs," said guitarist Michael Romeo. "We concentrated greatly on the songs, keeping them focused and heavy. This one is very in-your-face." Recorded at Romeo's own home studio "The Dungeon," "The Odyssey" features a 24-minute, seven-part title track that uses Homer's epic tale as an analogy to the band's own journey. "Our love of film scores and classical music really influenced 'The Odyssey'," said Romeo. "We aimed to incorporate as many things as we could to get our point across."

SIMPLY RED DVD

Rhino Home Video has just released the definitive Simply Red DVD recording, "Live In London," capturing a career performance by singer Mick Hucknall from London's Lyceum theater in September, 1998. The recording consists of 26 tracks, including the No. 1 "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and "Holding Back The Years." One of Britain's top-selling groups, Simply Red has scored dozens of hits in its native United Kingdom. "Stars" was the biggest-selling U.K. record of 1991, topping the chart for a record 19 weeks. On "Live In London," Hucknall is backed by a 12-piece group.

YOU'LL KNOW BEU

The Beu Sisters, a family quartet whose close harmonies work sensationally in service of their own material, are being touted as a sure thing by music industry insiders. Their debut album, "Decisions," has just been released. Ranging in age from 15 to 27, Candice, Christie, Jilaine and Danielle are from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and have been singing together all their lives. After their parents divorced in 1994 their musical bond drew them ever closer. The group began performing live and quickly drew raves, eventually leading to a deal with label S-Curve Records (Virgin/EMI) and its president, Steve Greenberg, the Grammy-winning producer credited with discovering Hanson and The Baha Men. On Oct. 15 the sisters made their MTV debut in a special "You Hear it First" segment, and the first single "I Was Only (Seventeen)" is showing early signs of being a breakout hit.

THE HOPE CONSPIRACY ON TOUR

The Boston-based hardcore/punk band The Hope Conspiracy has embarked on a U.S. tour with Bleeding Through and Most Precious Blood in support of its new album "Endnote" (Equal Vision). "We love for our live shows to be as energetic as the songs on the records," said the band's surname-less vocalist, Kevin. "On 'Endnote' we just wanted to make a record that makes you grit your teeth." "Endnote," recorded at the Atomic Recording Co. with engineer Dean Baltulonis (Madball, American Nightmare), is the band's second album. "Our sound has grown from our first album," said Kevin. "I believe that 'Endnote' is a lot more focused than our previous releases." The tour wraps up Nov. 9 at the Spanish Moon in Baton Rouge.

NONPOINT AND SUNSET BLACK FOR ERNIE BALL

Florida's Nonpoint and Minneapolis-based Sunset Black have joined forces on the Ernie Ball-sponsored Development Tour. Nonpoint released its debut album, "Statement," in 2000 on MCA and has sold in excess of 250,000 units while touring with Linkin Park, Staind, and during last year's Ozzfest. The current tour is in support of the band's newly released "Development" album. Sunset Black recently released its debut effort "Common Ground" through the Bieler Bros. imprint label for MCA. The album was produced by Nonpoint guitarist Andy Goldman. Goldman and bassist KB both endorse Ernie Ball music equipment. Ernie Ball will be coordinating a guitar giveaway promotion during the tour. In each major market, Goldman will give away one of his own Ernie Ball Music Man Axis or Axis Super Sport guitars.

GILMOUR CONCERT AIRS

VH1 Classic will premiere "David Gilmour in Concert" Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This two-hour concert was filmed live at his Meltdown Festival concert at London's Royal Festival Hall in June 2001 and includes guest appearances from Rick Wright, Robert Wyatt and Sir Bob Geldof. Throughout the two-hour presentation, VH1 Classic also will air portions of an exclusive one-on-one interview the network conducted with Gilmour. VH1 Classic will feature Pink Floyd music videos in a "Headline Act" block to follow the concert. The entire show will repeat Nov. 9 at 9 p.m. and again during the week of Dec. 23. The concert features Gilmour, his semi-acoustic band, and a gospel choir led by Sam Brown. The set ranges from Pink Floyd classics such as "Wish You Were Here," "Comfortably Numb" and "High Hopes," to Syd Barrett's "Terrapin" and "Dominoes," as well as a performance of "Je Crois Entendre Encore" from Bizet's opera "The Pearl Fishers." Gilmour also includes a new song, "Smile."