Rick Emerson

Gracias.

2010-03-09T07:21:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to everyone for the birthday greetings, hosannas, and salutations. I'm just now emerging from an unbelievably-busy ten days or so, but I wanted to take a moment to say thank you -- y'all are the greatest group of folks anyone could ever hope to be associated with. -Rick

From Twitter:

2010-03-07T18:50:00.001-08:00

I didn't like Avatar OR Hurt Locker, but I obviously default to rooting for Cameron. If he wins, he should demand that everyone kneel.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

Lights...Camera...Chaos!

2010-03-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

Outlook Portland is home to all manner of discussions...from the somber to the surreal; the medical to the musical.

And then, occasionally, there are episodes like this week's -- a dose of flat-out, nearly-uncontrolled weirdness and hilarity, courtesy of Mr. Tim Oakley and Mr. Sigfried Seeliger.

As exceptionally accomplished movie and television veterans, Tim and Sigfried have helped to turn myriad ideas into filmic reality. Their skill with art design, lighting, prop creation, and the million other things that fall between "Directed by" and "No animals were harmed in the making of this film" have given them a unique insight into the real, behind-the-scenes worlds of film and television.

They're also certifiable, and at about the two-minute mark, it becomes apparent that this will not be a typical installment of Outlook Portland. To say more would ruin the surprise...so don't miss it. (Part One airs this Sunday, with Part Two airing next week; there was simply too much entropy for one show.)

Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Tim Oakley and Sigfried Seeliger, [Part 2 of 2]

IN TWO WEEKS: A double-dose of delectable goodness -- the folks from Secret Aardvark Trading Company and the founders of Holy Kakow (Organic Chocolate Syrups and Powders.) Prepare to drool.

Songs that Time Forgot: The Caulfields

2010-03-01T13:19:00.000-08:00

Some time back, I had to do the nearly impossible: assemble a list of the "Ten Rock Albums You Should Own, but Probably Don't."

For any music nerd worth his copy of High Fidelity, this was simultaneously the best and worst assignment imaginable. When ransacking your brain and bookcase to compile such a list, where do you even start? What makes the cut, and, even more vexing, what do you leave off? That's the truly hard part...what do you leave off?

As it turns out, one of the things I omitted was The Caulfields' Whirligig, noting that:

"...despite my firm belief that it's perhaps the single most overlooked record of the 90s, it still rings a little too 'alternative pop' to quite make the cut. Fantastic stuff, though, and criminally overlooked."

Until now.

Trying to describe Whirligig has proven exceedingly difficult; my comparisons invariably feel insufficient, a hairsbreadth away from accuracy. Calling it "Elvis Costello meets Cheap Trick" isn't quite right, although vocalist/mastermind John Faye certainly owes his lyricism to the former and thick pop guitars to the latter. Neither is it accurate to call Whirligig "hard rock", even though the record boasts some of the loudest, production I'd ever heard at that point. (The huge guitar sound rivals that of Weezer, with whom The Caulfields share numerous traits.)

The term I often settle for is "power pop", best defined as "catchy pop songs with bubblegum melodies and goddamned loud guitars." Power pop was created by (or at least perfected by) bands like The Raspberries and Cheap Trick, and is practiced today by the likes of Jimmy Eat World and Tinted Windows.

Like so many other styles of bright, vibrant music, power pop never stood a chance in the grunge era; such bands were simply buried under a suffocating, grey avalanche of someone else's flannel. Longtime stalwarts like Cheap Trick were obliged to keep their head down and wait out the storm...even if they did it from the relative safety of SubPop records. Only the British -then incubating Oasis, Blur, and The Verve- proved immune to grunge's atonal hype machine.

Walking directly into this musical storm came The Caulfields: the right band...at the worst time imaginable.

Wearing their influences on their sleeves, shoes, pants, and tongues (I mean, they're called The Caulfields, for Christ's sake), John Faye and his sidemen made loud, catchy, aggressive, smart, wordy, heavy pop music...and were promptly ignored by everyone. (Everyone, that is, except for my friend Todd, who introduced me to their debut CD, Whirligig, an act for which I am still grateful.)

Living in Salt Lake City at the time (itself a suffocating avalanche of sameness), I was primed for anything that contained sharp-tongued, snot-nosed jabs at authority -- especially if it, you know...rocked. And this most certainly did.

Most importantly for me (well, second-most important, after the "rocking" part), was the fact that John Faye, the band's mouthpiece/mastermind, wrote lyrics that spoke to my outlook and worldview. Listening to Whirligig, I experienced what can be called "the shock of self-recognition" (much as I had a year earlier, when I first saw the movie Clerks.)

I'm no politician, I see through their game
It's my demographic they're trying to tame
Well they lump us together, and they give us a name
Rock the vote, you kids, and share in the blame
-from "All of My Young Life"

The ensuing years have moved me far past the "rock the vote" demographic -it's now Millennials being targeted- but his smirking, contemptuous scorn at such manipulation was incredibly satisfying.

Just as powerful were his thoughts on belief in God; in the song "Fragile", John Faye managed to say what I'd always struggled to: that he desperately wanted to believe in a God, but was thwarted by many things...among them, organized religion and his own logical nature:

God, I'd love to make you proud
But I still have my doubts
Perhaps it's all the ones who say they know
They sure put on show
And man, they say it loud
They're not my crowd
And if I can't believe in you
It doesn't mean I don't
I'm fragile, don't let me fall alone
-from "Fragile"

For me -and let me qualify this statement by saying that this is only my opinion, one formed by the myriad external forces that render everyone's outlook unique- The Caulfields' Whirligig is a perfect capsule of what it felt like to be a somewhat-brainy misfit in the 90s.

In short: were I tied down, beaten, and forced to name someone "the musical voice of my generation"...it would be John Faye, at least for the duration of this one album.

Further recordings found them dispirited and scattered -- I don't think they ever recovered from the commercial shrug that Whirligig received. (There may have been other factors at work, too; after breaking up The Caulfields, his next band was called "John Faye's Power Trip", which might reveal a few things.)

But this album...this one, nearly-flawless album...remains. And for anyone newly entering their own, personal age of suspicion, or for those of us who still carry those suspicions in adulthood, a more perfect companion would be hard to find.

"Devil's Diary" is the closest thing The Caulfields ever had to a hit single; it's a great introduction to a band who never quite got their due. (And, although the song's chorus does contain the phrase "bigger than Jesus", that's a coincidence; it has no relation to my stage/film project of the same name.) Click here to listen to "Devil's Diary."

Whirligig appears to be out of print (in the States, at least), although used copies can be found here.

Outlook Portland: Of Art and Artists

2010-02-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

In a city such as Portland, art is everywhere; ubiquitous and omnipresent...meaning it can sometimes be taken for granted.

On this week's Outlook Portland, we're joined by two men who work to make sure that -in Portland, at least- art is never overlooked and that artists themselves are given every chance to share their visions with the world.

Chris Haberman is a painter, writer, and musician whose work reflects a rearranging of the world around us. He is also a Creative Director at Portland City Art.

Kaebel Hashitani is Curator at Sequential Art Gallery, and works as an evangelist for visual arts springing from the world of comic books, graphic novels, and related styles. He's also an accomplished artist in his own right, and has a much cooler name than I do.

A fascinating, inspiring look into Portland's support system for the arts -- on this week's Outlook Portland.

NEXT WEEK: Tim Oakley and Sigfried Seeliger, who will discuss the industries of film and television from a candid, behind-the-scenes perspective, as they talk about their art/lighting/production design work on films like Twilight and Indiana Jones and the Terminator: Salvation. [Part 1 of 2]

IN TWO WEEKS: Tim Oakley and Sigfried Seeliger. [Part 2 of 2]

Funemployment Radio, Episode #74.

2010-02-25T19:32:00.000-08:00

It was my pleasure to join Sarah X. Dylan and Greg Nibler for part of Funemployment Radio's February 25th installment, covering such subjects as Showgirls II, Captain America, and the improbable surprise that greets an attack by a Killer Whale.

There's also Lost discussion, "Ball Talk", and all the hilarious whimsy you have come to expect from Sarah & Greg.

Funemployment Radio:

Listen here.

Subscribe via iTunes here

Subscribe via RSS here.

From Twitter:

2010-02-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

Our pals at PDX.FM (@pdxfm) are profiled by @PeterAmesCarlin in today's Oregonian: http://bit.ly/dvmaAs.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

A show not to be missed.

2010-02-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

Note: believe me when I say that this Sunday's episode of Outlook Portland is something quite powerful. Even knowing much of Dave Dahl's personal history, I was floored by the way he relates the twists and turns of his life. This is a must-see.

There are, of course, many abominations in this world: pestilence, war, corruption, social ills and strife, and perhaps the most horrifying of all...

White bread.

Not the figurative, Brady Bunch, Vampire Weekend kind, but the actual, literal, spongy kind. Bland, lifeless, pointless; hardly worthy of being called "bread" at all.

At the other end of the spectrum is something quite wonderful...something you may have seen, purchased, enjoyed, and raved about. Something called Dave's Killer Bread.

On this week's Outlook Portland, we'll hear the amazing story of the man behind the bread...a man whose life is filled with moments seemingly ripped from a dark, gritty, redemptive novel. A tale all the more astounding for being true.

Dave Dahl of Dave's Killer Bread pays a visit to Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Kaebel Hashitani and Chris Haberman of Sequential Art Gallery and Portland City Art, respectively.

IN TWO WEEKS: Tim Oakley and Sigfried Seeliger, who will discuss the industries of film and television from a candid, behind-the-scenes perspective, as they talk about their art/lighting/production design work on films like Twilight and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

From Twitter:

2010-02-18T13:33:00.001-08:00

Caught up on Sons of Anarchy; I'm at a loss for what to watch next. (I'm tackling Better Off Ted, but I have a limited taste for sitcoms.)

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

From Twitter:

2010-02-15T20:14:00.001-08:00

Alright -- looks as though things have calmed down. The disturbance/crime/undead apocalypse has been thwarted, it seems. Good Lord.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

From Twitter:

2010-02-15T19:53:00.000-08:00

Just now, while walking dogs, police car pulled up; cop got out holding what looked like an AR-15; said, “You might want to go inside, sir.”

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

From Twitter:

2010-02-15T10:20:00.001-08:00

Damn you, Battlestar Galactica -- now my Roomba fills me with guilt and fear.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

TiVo Alert.

2010-02-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

I will not appear starstruck when interviewing someone from The Simpsons. I will not appear starstruck when interviewing someone from The Simpsons. I will not appear starstruck when interviewing someone from The Simpsons. I will not appear starstruck when interviewing someone from The Simpsons. I will not appear starstruck when interviewing someone from The Simpsons...

To quote Milton Berle (who, of course, stole it), "Dying is easy; comedy is hard."

Making the creation of that comedy appear easy is, perhaps, the hardest thing of all.

On the next installment of Outlook Portland, we'll be joined today by a man who, for the better part of his life, has written, shaped, and guided some of the era's best humor.

Bill Oakley was Vice-President of the Harvard Lampoon, is the creator or co-creator of numerous television programs and films, and served as writer, showrunner, and Executive Producer for The Simpsons, where, among other achievements, he co-wrote the landmark two-part episode "Who Shot Mr. Burns?"

Mr. Bill Oakley pays a visit to this week's Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Dave Dahl, owner of Dave's Killer Bread.

IN TWO WEEKS: Kaebel Hashitani and Chris Haberman of Sequential Art Gallery and Portland City Art, respectively.

From the Desk of Aaron Duran:

2010-02-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Aaron Duran, proprietor of Geek in the City, has got something utterly fantastic lined up for this Friday night. If you didn't already have plans...you do now:

Greetings, programs! Let's just get straight to the point: Evil Dead, Sam Raimi's masterpiece of terror, returns to Portland on February 12, 2010 at the Bagdad Theater,11:00pm.

"Nothing can prepare an audience for what they

are about to see, because nothing punishes an audience like Evil Dead...especially
on the big screen," says Bruce Campbell. "I'm really glad it's back. People are gonna be hurt."

This is no DVD projected onto the big screen. No, my friends, this is the original 35mm print. And, when I say "the original 35mm print", I ain't joking. This is the original print. This is Sam Raimi's personal damn print! You read right, suckas: Sam Raimi has graciously loaned Sage Stallone and Murawski (of Grindhouse Releasing) the rights to screen this classic nasty flick across our fine union.

Evil Dead returns to Portland Frakking Oregon on Friday February 12, 2010 at 11:00pm. Head to Geek in the City for more details.

So there you go...the word has been given from on high: Evil Dead, this Friday, The Bagdad.

Be there.

From Twitter:

2010-02-09T21:18:00.001-08:00

Just taped an amazing interview w/ @KillerBreadMan for @OutlookPortland. Even knowing some of his background, it was gripping. Airs 2/21.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

Outlook Portland Presents: Robert "Bobby" Roberts & Cort & Robert.

2010-02-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

Alright -- I just wanted to see if that headline looked as confusing as it sounded.

On the next episode of Outlook Portland (Sunday at 6:30am, on NW32 TV), I'll be joined by Cort Webber and Bobby "Fatboy" Roberts; we'll recap the genesis, growth, cancellation, and relaunch of The Cort & Fatboy Show. We'll also discuss the evolution and future of terrestrial radio, and hear the duo's thoughts on transitioning from over-the-air broadcasting to net-broadcasting. And, because I'm a hopeless nerd for "why I got into radio" stories, Cort will talk about the person who first inspired him to pursue a career on the air.

PLUS: We'll speak with Robert Wagner, whose PDX.FM -in addition to being the new home of the The Cort & Fatboy Show- is quickly becoming the preferred destination for many of Portland's talk-radio listeners. We'll hear his thoughts on the state of Portland broadcasting...and find out where he plans to focus PDX.FM's considerable momentum.

Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Bill Oakley, former writer/Executive Producer for The Simpsons.

IN TWO WEEKS: Dave Dahl, owner of Dave's Killer Bread.

WTF.

2010-01-29T12:47:00.000-08:00

I could try to offer some sort of explanation for how I came to be captured in this pose. In this outfit. Standing in front of what appears to be an Indigo version of the Matrix.

But...that would rob you of the joy of discovery, and you don't want that, do you?

Beginning this Sunday at 6:30am on NW32 TV, Outlook Portland will start rolling out its new look, so make a special note to get up, stay up, or set your TiVo -- after all, how many chances do you have to see me swaddled in pink and jabbed with needles?

I'll be joined by Eva Darling, an instructor at the Portland Jazzercise Center:

Watch! As my snarky skepticism turns to exhausted, sweating shame!
See! A grown man reduced to near-collapse by a trainer who appears to be barely exerting herself!
Laugh! As a smug television host struggles for sufficient breath to apologize for his outdated views on Jazzercise!

PLUS: Daniel Carlson of Green Dragon Acupuncture will pay a visit, and talk about the treatment's growing use among Portlanders. And yes -- I will be perforated by needles. I know what you people want, after all.

So don't miss it -- Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Cort and Fatboy, plus Robert Wagner of PDX.FM.

IN TWO WEEKS: Bill Oakley, former writer/Executive Producer for The Simpsons.

Songs that Time Forgot: Slam Suzanne

2010-01-27T14:47:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time, I was just a mulleted, spotty teenager with stars in my eyes and metal on the brain. (Some things never change; some things change only slightly.)

Following my own kind of Manifest Destiny, I secured a few radio gigs at any place/format that would have me, and while some of these have been discussed at great length *cough* Pet Patrol *cough*, others have been overlooked. Such a place was 88.1, the local high school station, which was centered squarely in the middle of the Tri-City Area Vocational Skills Center.

Generally viewed as a place to dump wayward youths who might otherwise be out stripping cars (or merely stripping), the vocational center was a breeding ground for drug deals, knife fights, and bathroom-stall sex. Or so I'm told. For a certain segment of the student population, it was also dismal, irrefutable evidence that the school district viewed you as a lost cause...that you were thought incapable of overcoming your own history. That you would live and die in the same dry, dusty zip code. That you would have more children like yourself.

Every day, teenage mothers and early meth-head prototypes competed for prime space in the smoking sections of the parking lot, and black-trenchcoat types huddled in alcoves, tossing multi-sided dice.

The soundtrack to all of this was 88.1, which, due to its relatively strong signal (and the relative smallness of the town) was well-listened to, especially by people under 25 or so. (In a town with no real rock station, but, instead, a seemingly-endless number of country and oldies signals, any refuge was welcome.)

Working at 88.1, like anywhere in the entertainment industry, big or small, allowed you to re-create your identity, at least for a few hours at a time. And thus, a gangly, bespectacled youth named Richard became...(drumroll, please):

Ed Zeppelin.

Either the worst or best on-air name of all time (I'm still not sure which), Ed Zeppelin was my alter-ego, the one who didn't spend his days failing math, English, and history, and who wasn't doomed to spend the rest of his life in a fucking dirt-hill town, wondering where he'd gone wrong.

He also got stuff in the mail.

You see, in the days before the internet, bands had no idea who was out there, or what audience might exist for their music. So, instead of using MySpace/Facebook/etc., they assembled cover letters and press kits, and sent off demo CDs by the dozens, often using woefully out-of-date address lists, and with only a vague idea of who was receiving their stuff. (Actually, in that way, it was exactly like the internet.)

Enter a band called Slam Suzanne.

One day, while preparing to play "Wild Side" for the nine-hundredth time (I've never, ever gotten sick of that song), I answered the request line in the 88.1 studio. "Rockline," I said, irony-free, "Whattya wanna hear?"

"Hey," said a voice, "I'm looking for Ed Zeppelin."

"That's me, dude," I said, full of rock-radio bravado, and trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"Hey, I'm in a band called Slam Suzanne, and I wanted to send you a press kit and a copy of our CD. You're the Music Director, right?"

"Er," I said, eyes glancing around furtively, "Sure. Yeah. Send it on over."

"Thanks, man," he said, and hung up.

Of course, I wasn't anything close to being the Music Director, but the real MD was off smoking weed in the ladies' bathroom half the time, so what the hell, right? At least I'd listen to it.

Several days later, a large, black envelope arrived. With a return-address sticker that said "Slam Suzanne" in big letters, and with a Groening-esque bunny head for a logo, it looked a little otherworldly.

I ripped it open, and surveyed the enclosed material. Press clippings, stickers, and a picture of the band. The drummer was a cute girl named "Tymber" -- this was definitely a plus.

Also enclosed was a CD, which I gleefully put into the CD player. Free music! What a great scam this was! Radio rules!

The songs that poured out were short, fast, and scary-cool...sort of like The Ramones meets Slayer.

The band was also singing about something mystifying...something called a "double latte." What the hell was that? I didn't know, but it sounded like some incredible, all-powerful thing. (Which, of course, was not far from the truth.)

A few days later, I snookered the band into doing an on-air interview with me over the phone (my second-ever band interview, the first being *ahem* Pretty Boy Floyd), and I promised to see them when they passed through town from Seattle. (Seattle! They were big-time rock stars, talking to ME!)

Of course, by the time the show came around, I had fucked up somehow and been forbidden to leave the house. Not quite rock and roll enough to sneak out, I glumly stayed in my room, pondering the debauched fun I was, no doubt, missing. (Later, I heard that the band had asked where "Ed Zeppelin" was. I'm sure they'd had no clue I was a teenager; I wonder what their reactions were upon hearing that Ed was, in fact, grounded.)

Time has passed, life has gone on, and Slam Suzanne seem to have faded away. There's precious little to prove they existed at all, but in my Big Box of Radio Stuff, I still have a dusty, crackling, black envelope...with a return address that promised excitement, and a band picture featuring a drummer who still seems unbelievably hot.

Slam Suzanne, here's to you...wherever you are.

Fondly,

Ed

Click here to listen to Slam Suzanne's "Double Latte."

Sunday: Outlook Portland meets Funemployment Radio

2010-01-22T17:02:00.000-08:00

You don't want to miss this Sunday's installment of Outlook Portland (Sunday at 6:30am, on NW32 TV).

I'll be joined by our good friends Sarah X. Dylan and Greg Nibler, who, since departing from KUFO, have created a whole new genre of entertainment. Their daily netcast, Funemployment Radio, has already gained legions of devoted fans, and this Sunday, we'll talk about their show, the future, and how unemployment might be one of the best things that ever happened to them. They'll also have suggestions and advice for other folks who are looking down the barrel of a pink slip.

PLUS, at one point, I'll hold up a painting of two adorable dogs. Seriously.

It's also your last chance to view Outlook Portland's original set design; on January 31st, we'll unveil a whole-new look, so don't miss it.

Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: We plunge into the future with Outlook Portland's revamped studio. To celebrate the occasion, I'll be stuck with needles and dressed in pink. Or am I joking?

IN TWO WEEKS: Cort and Fatboy, plus Robert Wagner of PDX.FM.

From Twitter:

2010-01-19T21:51:00.001-08:00

Today's taping of @OutlookPortland was the first on our revamped set. @CortWebber & @FatboyRoberts guested, along with @pdxsucks. Airs 1/31.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

From Twitter:

2010-01-17T20:54:00.001-08:00

The "milk" I've been drinking all week was, apparently, not so much "milk" as a large carton of half-and-half. No wonder it tasted so great.

-less than 5 seconds ago from Rick Emerson's Twitter Feed

TiVo Alert.

2010-01-16T15:47:00.000-08:00

On the next Outlook Portland (Sunday at 6:30am, on NW32 TV), we'll talk about the wondrous magic of radio......and lest anyone think I'm using those words sarcastically, make no mistake: radio is, and will always be, a transcendent piece of innovation; a technological watershed that turned the seemingly-impossible into the readily-available.

Philo T. Farnsworth, of course, took that magic and upped the ante...forever transforming the world -and reinventing popular culture- when, at the age of 21, he invented the television.

On Sunday's episode of Outlook Portland, we'll discuss a blend of all these things: How Portland culture is served and represented by Portland radio...and how Portland radio is, in turn, depicted by television, specifically, on a new TV show called Life Unexpected, which takes place at a radio station right here in River City.

Joining us to give their thoughts on the dazzling possibilities of radio will be Simon and Sam, morning hosts at Portland's own 98.7 KUPL. They'll tell us about their own passion for the medium...how radio captured their imaginations and made an impact on their lives. They'll also discuss changes in the radio industry, and give their own analysis of the all-important "Portland Vibe".

We'll also talk with Oregonian pop culture reporter Kristi Turnquist, who will judge the accuracy with which Life Unexpected portrays our fair city.

Outlook Portland, Sunday at 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson.

NEXT WEEK: Sarah X. Dylan and Greg Nibler of FunemploymentRadio.com

Songs that Time Forgot: Redux

2010-01-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

The most recent installment of "Songs that Time Forgot" focused on The Four Horsemen, a talented, powerful band thwarted by the dual forces of misadventure and musical zeitgeist. The song which accompanied that essay, "Welfare Boogie," was from the band's self-titled EP, released in 1989.

The piece generated a great deal of reaction, so it seems only right to offer something from The Four Horsemen's overlooked, near-masterpiece of a debut album, Nobody Said it Was Easy.

Released in 1990, the twelve-track LP met with almost-immediate failure, smothered by an avalanche of flannel-clad lethargy. An original pressing now sells for $100 bucks a pop, so if you have a copy, hold on to it.

In retrospect, it seems that more than anything else, timing was the key factor in The Four Horsemen's demise. If they'd emerged during the Stillwater era, you'd be hearing them on KGON at this moment. As it stands, they're a memory...denied even a slot on late-night VH1 Classic playlists.

The music, though? The music cannot be denied, contained, or diminished. For evidence, one need only listen to the group's first official single.

The song has everything that hard rock should contain, power chords that sound like railroad tracks, drums that sound fifteen feet wide, snarled vocals, and perhaps the loudest series of shouted final choruses I've ever heard. Plus (and this can't be overstated), it has a fantastic title....one that announces the band's intentions to the world at large, serving not only as a slogan, but also a musical mission statement.

Ladies and gentlemen, the late, great Four Horsemen present "Rockin' is Ma Business (and Business is Good)."

Songs that Time Forgot: The Four Horsemen

2010-01-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

NOTE: Awhile back, via email, someone asked about "that Four Horsemen group you talked about on your show that one time."

Given the strong response to my recent "Songs that Time Forgot" essay, and considering the fact that The Four Horsemen were next up for discussion, this is a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone*.

Enjoy, and revel in the glory that only star-crossed rock and roll bands can provide.

*Or one rock, as the case may be. Hey-oh!

+++

All too often, we find ourselves discussing bands that were this close to mainstream success, only to have it snatched away by the cruel hand of fate. Rarely has that been more the case than with The Four Horsemen.

Ironically consisting of five members (from three different countries), The Four Horsemen were a shotgun marriage of cultures...and their music was the proof: AC/DC stomp, Skynyrd swing, and the bare-knuckled production style of Rick Rubin.

I won't recount the sad story of arrests, poor timing, heroin, car crashes, and, finally, an irreversible coma which led to the band's ultimate demise, but suffice it to say that we, the listening public, were robbed. Fortunately, as is so often the case, the music remains.

Those of you who order Bigger than Jesus: The B-Sides may end up learning a little more about The Four Horsemen and their full-length masterwork, Nobody Said it Was Easy.

For now, a little something off their out-of-print, nearly impossible-to-find, self-titled EP. This is the record that put them on the road to major-label stardom...a destination that, unfortunately, they would never reach.

A few things to know about "Welfare Boogie", before you listen:

Frank C. Starr had an amazing voice, for several reasons. First, in full scream mode, he sounded exactly like Jason McMaster of Dangerous Toys. In a blind taste test, I'd swear it was McMaster. Second, in his more relaxed mode, he sounds very close to James Hetfield...especially when Hetfield used to sing "La Grange" in concert. And thirdly, you get the feeling that Starr is only a split-second away from leaping out of the speakers and punching you in the face. That's a good thing.
This song starts off with a jagged-hooked guitar riff (which is reminiscent of "School's Out"), before settling into an awesome groove that's somewhere between "Tie Your Mother Down" and "Hell's Bells". I accidentally had my car stereo at maximum volume the other day when this song came on, and I nearly lost my hearing.
Finally, behold the glorious gang vocals on this track. Never overwhelming the song, they nonetheless provide the brass-knuckle toughness that makes the recording truly great. (It should also be noted that this song was not produced by Rick Rubin, although its style clearly indicates that he was the perfect person to produce their full-length LP, which came two years later.) Gang vocals are a bit of a lost art these days (in rock, at least; they live on in the crunk-rock-rap hybrids of Lil' Jon, et al.), but here, they're in full, bone-shattering effect.

So....there you go. Sit back, adjust your speakers/headphones accordingly, and behold the mighty stomp of a great band. A band that could have been legendary, but that now, for a slice of the rock world anyway, has become something even more powerful........mythic.

Click here to listen to "Welfare Boogie"

Click here to read the whole depressing story of The Four Horsemen

TiVo Alert.

2010-01-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

Before plunging into the maelstrom of 2010, we're taking a final backward glance at the most tumultuous year in recent memory...2009.

This Sunday (6:30am, on NW32 TV), Outlook Portland's three-part year in review concludes with an examination of the books, movies, media events, and pop culture happenings that marked the last 12 months.

We'll be joined by Kristi Turnquist, pop culture writer for The Oregonian, and Dan Haneckow of Powell's Books/CafeUnknown.com.

What were Portlanders reading in 2009? What was the creative world's biggest scandal? What's the first book you'll want to pick up for 2010?

All will be revealed.

Bid a final farewell to The Worst Year Ever on this Sunday's Outlook Portland. 6:30am, only on NW32 TV...the home of Gossip Girl, Melrose, and Rick Emerson!