I spoke to Oona prior to her band’s set opening for Midi Matilda a week ago today. It’s just running now, so I guess I get to share how much I like their sound twice instead of once.
Check it out at The Bay Bridged.
The show review is also at The Bay Bridged.
LL Cool J may be one of the elder statesmen of rap, rhyming since his 1985 platinum debut, but he has been out of the game recently, focusing on acting, starring in films and on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” and hosting the Grammy Awards.
He has no intention of giving up either pursuit.
“I just didn’t want to abandon my music,” the rapper-actor says. “If I didn’t do it now, I may have never gotten to it.”
That’s why he recorded “Authentic,” his 13th album, ended this year’s Grammys with a performance, and has returned to the road this summer for the Kings of the Mic Tour with fellow icons Public Enemy, Ice Cube and De La Soul. The tour swings through the Shoreline Amphitheatre on Saturday.
“My motivation for doing music was not contractual, it was not financial — it was purely just my love of music,” he says. “Acting is great, and when I have time, I’ll get out and do my music … and give people that side of my world.”
For “Authentic,” LL Cool J teamed up with a group of artists not traditionally associated with rap: Eddie Van Halen; Earth, Wind and Fire; Fitz and the Tantrums; Seal; Brad Paisley; and others.
“I grew up with all of their music, and I feel like my fans have, too,” he says. “People have diverse tastes. Why not make records with all those people I respect?”
LL Cool J purposefully stayed away from the traditional hip-hop play of including new, hot names in the genre.
“I don’t think that hip-hop artists have to be relegated to trying to reinvent themselves as teenagers every two years,” he says. “I want to own who I am at this point in my life.”
Another collaboration with Paisley created controversy. “Accidental Racist” from Paisley’s new album “Wheelhouse” advocates setting aside built-up hatred from slavery in favor creating dialogue about race relations.
But some view its lines, such as “If you don’t judge my gold chains, I’ll forget the iron chains,” as racist.
Yet LL Cool J thinks a small group is making a big noise in complaint, and expects most people to eventually get the message.
“There’s a fine line between trivializing something and saying don’t judge a book by its cover, and I think people see what they want to see,” he says. “It would make no sense for me, as a black man, to trivialize something that was so horrific for my ancestors. It’s like boiling water to sit down and eat your own heart.”
Kings of the Mic Tour
With LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Ice Cube, De La Soul
Where: Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $25 to $123
Contact: (800) 745-3000, www.livenation.com
Read my story about LL’s Kings of the Mic tour in the SF Examiner. Check out my extended interview Q&A here.
Here’s the abridged version of my interview with the Flaming Lips’ frontman and multi-instrumentalist, programer. Read it at The Bay Bridged. Great photos courtesy of Paige K. Parsons.
I’ve been a bit hooked on Big Deal since their 2011 album, “Lights Out.” While that album was good, though, it didn’t have a stand-out song. Not like “Dream Machines,” off new album “June Gloom” (out next month). This song has both the band’s signature fuzz and reverb, as well as a catchy melody.
Take a listen at Soundcloud. While there, make sure to listen to Teradactol (right side of the page) as well. Especially if you’re a fan of the Joy Formidable. June Gloom will be released June 4. The day after my birthday; just so you know.
Read my review of the show at The Bay Bridged. A short Q&A with OONA vocalist Oona Garthwaite will be posted later today.
Last week I interviewed rapper-actor-Grammy host LL Cool J. The big issue swirling around him lately has been the controversy over “Accidental Racist,” the song he recorded with country singer Brad Paisley. I briefly go into that in my story, which will soon run in the SF Examiner. But since space is at a premium, here’s more on the issue, as well as LL’s plan’s for the future, why he chose Public Enemy, Ice Cube and De La Soul for touring partners and more.
First I just want to say that I really liked the way you handled hosting the Grammy’s two years ago (after the death of Whitney Houston). I covered the event and snuck down to the floor to watch rehearsal, and you were clearly putting a lot of effort into handling it the right way. Do you intend on hosting the event as long as you keep getting asked? Or would you rather go back to being a nominee and guest?
(Laughs). Hey, if they ask me to host, I’ll be happy to host again. I would be more than pleased by being nominated; you know what I’m saying? It’s kind of, like, “both.”
You took a step back from recording and performing to do TV. What gave you the fire to get back at it?
I think it obviously came a little bit earlier, but I was definitely just thinking about getting back on the road. It’s been so long since I did music. I had five-year layoff from music. In hip hop, five years might as well be 50. I was just ready to get out there and have some fun, and I wanted to put together a tour that really appealed to the people that grew up with my music and my true fans. I wanted to make sure the tour was hot for people who grew up during my era and enjoy the music that I make, and Ice Cube makes, and Public Enemy makes, and De La Soul makes. That’s why I said, let’s put these guys together and do a great tour. These guys rip the stage apart.
You’ve been around in the industry for about, what, 30 years now? I spoke to Chuck D last year and he was very proud of Public Enemy’s status as rap pioneers. What’s your take on being an elder statesman?
I think it’s phenomenal because either you grow or you don’t, you know? Or you go into oblivion. I’m very pleased with where I’m at. I mean, look at the debut of my record. Thirty years later in this genre, and after a five-year layoff, I (have the) No. 4 rap album. I’m No. 23 in the top 200. Who could ask for more? When you look at my career and where I’ve come from, I’m very pleased with where I’m at. I’m very cool with it.
What’s the trick to writing the perfect love jam?
Oh, man. I don’t know, but if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you. (laughs). I just write from the heart and have fun with it. I’m not afraid to just say what I’m feeling.
The “Accidental Racist” controversy has been covered to death. Have you gotten any positive critiques?
I’ve heard all kinds of positive stuff. People understand that basically what we’re saying is “don’t judge a book by its cover.” We were saying that love conquers all. The majority of people were very positive. It’s just that sometimes when people on the fringes have a negative opinion of something, they just scream really, really loud, so we have a tendency to think that it’s more negativity out there than there is. It was overwhelmingly positive. The reaction of Brad’s (Paisley) album shows that. The record charted, and (“Accidental Racist”) wasn’t even a single. It was an album cut. His record is the No. 1 country album and No. 2 pop album. The numbers speak for themselves and tell you that the overwhelming feedback was positive.
How long do you think people will take to get the message of that song?
To be frank with you, usually when I put something out creative that people are all over and have issues with, usually it takes about five to seven years before they get it. Somebody else imitates it, and then they understand it. Any time you do something that’s outside of the box, and you’re the first one to do it, people are always up in arms. But then, you have those people who know what you’re doing, and they do it. Because you broke down the door, more people start doing it, and all of a sudden it’s more palatable.
IF YOU GO
Kings of the Mic Tour, with LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Ice Cube and De La Soul
Where: Shoreline Amphitheatre, 1 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, May 25
Tickets: $25 to $123
Contact: www.livenation.com
These are all in HD, so don’t forget to increase the quality and size of the viewer.
Want to view all the videos, in order? Playlist here.
Thursday, May 9
Friday, May 10
Saturday, May 11
Sunday, May 12
Read it at The Bay Bridged. Pardon the many typos. It’s difficult to spell correctly with Autocorrect, people walking into you and the sun reflecting off your phone.
Videos coming soon!
Photos!
Day 1 here. Day 2 here. Day 3 here. Day 4 here.
Check out my previous BottleRock coverage here (stories on the event and artist interviews). I’ve interviewed many of these artists before and if you search my blog, you’ll find the links to the stories. Follow me on Twitter (RomiTheWriter) for more!
BottleRock Day 4 in photos.
(Videos coming Monday or Tuesday) Day 1 here. Day 2 here. Day 3 here.
Check out my previous BottleRock coverage here (stories on the event and artist interviews). I’ve interviewed many of these artists before and if you search my blog, you’ll find the links to the stories. Follow me on Twitter (RomiTheWriter) for more!
BottleRock Day 3 in photos.
(Videos coming Monday or Tuesday) Day 1 here. Day 2 here.
Check out my previous BottleRock coverage here (stories on the event and artist interviews). Follow me on Twitter (RomiTheWriter) for more!
BottleRock Day 2 in photos.
(Videos coming Monday or Tuesday)
Check out my previous BottleRock coverage here (stories on the event and artist interviews). Follow me on Twitter (RomiTheWriter) for more!
BottleRock Day 1 in photos.
(Videos coming Monday or Tuesday)
Check out my previous BottleRock coverage here (stories on the event and artist interviews). Follow me on Twitter (RomiTheWriter) for more!
If you’re interested in the Napa music festival, follow along with me on Twitter. Or if you’re there, feel free to track me down and say hi.
Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.
Photos and video: Marina and the Diamonds and Charli XCX - May 6 San Francisco. At the Warfield.
Read my interviews with Marina here.
How to Be a Heartbreaker video (HD, so click to enlarge and increase quality).
