Archivi categoria: Musica

Perchè De Andrè è sempre attuale? L’incontro tra Medioevo e Novecento

 

di

Maria Geraci

 

Riconosciuto per le sue idee anarchiche e la sua abilità con le parole, Fabrizio De André ha riscosso il suo successo a partire dagli anni Settanta, spaziando dal Medioevo al presente. Dall’animo inquieto e introverso ha lasciato un segno nella musica italiana sia come artista che come persona, combattendo battaglie politiche e sociali con i suoi versi…

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Come mi vuoi

 

 

 

Era il 1989. Avevo poco più di undici anni. Nella Panda rossa di mia madre risuonava quella musicassetta, compilation dell’edizione del Festival di Sanremo di quell’anno. Questa canzone di Eduardo De Crescenzo era una di quelle inclusevi. Una delle più belle poesie d’amore che io abbia mai letto e certamente una delle cose che avrei voluto scrivere io stesso, forse molto più di alcuni bei versi di Guido Cavalcanti o Jacques Prévert o anche di certe potenti pagine di Roberto Calasso o Giorgio Agamben. Sono passati circa trent’anni da quei momenti nella Panda di mia madre, quando le parole di questa canzone cominciavano a connaturarsi in me.
Come mi vuoi? Ho ripensato spesso, negli anni, a tutto ciò. Distratto, un po’ incosciente, banale ma divertente, strano, disonesto, anche un po’ maldestro, sereno, intelligente, magari un po’ insolente, libero, egoista o bravo equilibrista, e tanto altro. Come mi vuoi? Non so se sia facile capire come mi vuoi. Posso fare tutto, inventare un trucco, comprare le tue idee, anche senza avere il resto. Come mi vuoi? Non lo so, davvero non lo so! So soltanto che lo trovo, lo trovo, vedrai se ci provo. Dev’esserci un modo per giungere a te…
Perbacco! Dev’esserci un modo. E io lo trovo!

Come mi vuoi
Eduardo De Crescenzo

 

Eduardo De Crescenzo

“The End”: I Doors, il rock e la tragedia greca

 

di

Andrea Arrigo

 

Nell’estate del 1966 Jim Morrison diede vita ad una delle canzoni più controverse della storia del rock, “The End”. Questo monumentale brano dalla durata di ben undici minuti, segna l’inizio di una nuova era e di un modo assolutamente innovativo di esibirsi. Il capolavoro del Re Lucertola ha un luogo di nascita ben preciso: il “Whisky a Go Go”, storico locale notturno di West Hollywood famoso per essere stato luogo di passaggio e trampolino di lancio per moltissime rock band degli anni sessanta. La bozza iniziale della canzone…

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The Doors

 

 

Quel “comunista” di Wagner

 

di

Quirino Principe

 

 

È arduo continuare a correre a perdifiato lungo la strada della pura idiozia, e sostenere l’ipotesi di una responsabilità ideologica, più o meno diretta, di Richard Wagner nei confronti del nazismo, qualora si sia letto uno scritto wagneriano dallo schiacciante peso specifico qual è Oper und Drama. È un testo dal quale spirano, con energia irresistibile alla quale chiunque è costretto ad arrendersi, venti che provengono…

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Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883)

 

 

 

Johnny Cash, 50 anni fa il suo live ‘fuorilegge’: “Gli uni accanto agli altri: io e i ribelli”

 

di 

Carmine Saviano

 

 

Il 13 gennaio 1968 la star del country, l’irriverente, l’uomo in lotta tra Bene e Male, varca le porte del più famoso Penitenziario della California. Suonerà per duemila carcerati seduti a terra e controllati a vista da guardie armate. Ne uscirà la pietra miliare ‘Live at Folsom Prison’…

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Johnny Cash (1932 – 2003)

 

 

Perché “I Walk The Line” di Johnny Cash è da considerarsi poesia

 

da

liberiamo.it

 

 

In una numerosa famiglia di contadini dell’Arkansas, dedita alla coltivazione e alla raccolta del cotone, nasceva il 26 febbraio 1932 Johnny Cash. I suoi genitori e i suoi fratelli non lo sapevano, ma quel bambino sarebbe diventato nel giro di qualche anno la leggenda…

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Johnny Cash (1932 -2003)

 

 

Groupies in the Sixties and Seventies. Let spend the night together!

 

 

 

The groupies scene was a phenomenon of the late Sixties and early Seventies, and various threatening social diseases have effectively put the mockers on groupiedom in the eighties, much to the chagrin of some straggling leftover rock ‘n’ rollers who remember the good times. It was at its height in the late Sixties havens of San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. In 1969 the groupies knew they had arrived when the influential magazine Rolling Stone dedicated an entire issues to groupies their philosophy, their quirks, their motivation and – in a few cases – their regrets. A groupie is generally considered an avid, often female, fan of a band or musical performer. The term derives from the female attaching herself to a group, the band. While the band is the group, the female is the groupie. A groupie is considered more intense about her adored celebrities than a fan. A fan might have all the albums and a few pictures of her favourite band. She or he might also attend all the band’s performances within reasonable distance to his or her hometown. images9TDXLB30A groupie tends to follow the band, perhaps almost touring with them. The groupie will attempt contact with the band, either conversational or sexual in nature, and may become an annoyance by virtually stalking band members. Obsessive groupies will almost certainly involve themselves sexually with any members of the band including the roadies. Even if rejected, the groupie will usually keep trying with the goal of being considered part of the band, or important to a member of the band. The relationship of an obsessive groupie to a band is like a love relationship gone badly wrong. The obsessive groupie has little interest in anything but matters pertaining to the band. Unfortunately, such groupies are also fuelled by the “sex, drugs and rock and roll,” atmosphere of most popular bands and artists. With sex offered, and frequently drugs available, a groupie can easily become somewhat delusional about her importance. Not all musicians or groupies would necessarily take that stance. Many feel their experiences have been fantastic and wouldn’t change a thing. Ex groupie Pamela Des Barres’ (photo on the side) first novel I’m with The Band  and her last book Let spend the night together for example, are a positive look at the sexually charged groupie environment of the late 1960s and early 70s. The books are very frank and Des Barres does not spare the reader from excessive detail about her and other groupies sexual escapades. The books seem more like bragging regarding a lifestyle, than an expression of regret for her and their choices. Still based in L.A., Des Barres was once a member of the legendary Frank Zappa’s pet – project girl group Girls Together Outrageously. Now something of an icon, she’s written extensively about the rock ‘n’ roll scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The way Des Barres sees it, the groupies of the ‘60s were not mere sex partners for testosterone-poisoned guitar players; they were ground-breaking, chance-taking muses, self-lessly nurturing the creative impulses of the world’s up-and-coming musical geniuses.

 

Published in March 2008 on www.clubdtv.com

 

 

Eroina, ribellione, ritmo: tutte le anime del Ray Charles più soul

 

di

Antonio Lodetti

 

 

Lui, Ray Charles, è cieco dall’età di 7 anni (forse per un glaucoma, più probabilmente per un’infezione non curata dovuta all’acqua saponata, come accadde a molti bluesmen dell’epoca) e percorre quella strada in salita che lo porterà a diventare “The Genius”, il re del soul ma anche del jazz, e del gospel e del country e del pop. Non vedeva…

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Ray Charles (1930 – 2004)

 

 

 

Artists and drugs

 

 

 

Artists, singers and drugs: a combination that often seems to be undivided. A lot of artists and singers confessed their use of drugs raising very important questions: “Is it fair that people who have such an enormous influence on teenagers, show them harmful, illegal behaviour?” Furthermore  “Do the drugs really help the artistic creativity and the performances on the stage or in a studio?” and “Should record labels check their artists for drugs use?”. gAbout the first question, is undoubted that youths look up to them as idols and models, trying to imitate them and dreaming day by day to be as they are. Who, handling a guitar, didn’t ever wish to be Jimi Hendrix (photo on the right) or Slash ? Who, humming a tune, didn’t ever imagine being Robbie Williams or Leona Lewis? Who, believing to be like them, never took drugs and then started to play or sing? A simple and fine dream that turned itself in a deadly addiction! Regarding to the other questions, there are several sides in the matter. Firstly, if an artist needs drugs to be creative, he really isn’t much of an artist. Although there can be something said for drugs impacting on a particularly creative period for artists. Heroin provided Jimmy Page with some amazing music. It also sustained Keith Richards for a number of years. Cocaine and the first three Oasis records. Ecstasy and The Verve’s A Northern Soul. Even look at the influence drugs had on The Beatles. They went from She Loves You to Tomorrow Never Knows. There are numerous examples of artists being very creative on drugs. But if a band cannot create without drugs, then they aren’t much of a band. All drugs can really alter perceptions, but they don’t give any skills an artist didn’t already have. In other words, they may provide some inspiration, but they don’t make one more creative. Inspiration and creativity aren’t the same thing. gIf you take a creative person and an uncreative person and give them the same source of inspiration, whether it’s a hit of acid or a pretty sunset, they’re going to come up with two very different pieces of art. Secondly, it is known the record companies want to make money first and foremost. If an artist, for example, is under contract for four albums, it is in the labels best interest to keep him clean in order to ensure the contract will be fulfilled. But on the other hand, if the labels want to start drug testing bands, rock & roll as we know it would probably die. However, the labels can exert some kind of control over an artist. Drugs have become such a huge aspect of the culture of music because of what they represent. They’re seen as a victimless crime outlawed by the establishment just because they’re prudes. So, taking drugs, singing about them and showing a bad behaviour, has become a symbol for the rebellious spirit of rock & roll.

 

Published in January 2008 on www.clubdtv.com