Rock and Roll In America: It Just Keeps Getting Funnier

Tim Emmerick - Stark Contributing Writer

I’ve got a joke for you. It’s a real screamer. You ready?

What do David Byrne, Rush and Don Henley all have in common?

Give up?

All of these multi-platinum selling artists have are currently taking legal action against Republican senatorial candidates for stealing their music.

David Byrne is not the picture of a GOP supporter so it came as a bit of a shock last month when friends in Florida asked him why he lent “Road to Nowhere” to governor Charlie Crist for his senatorial campaign. Byrne was never contacted about the song and Crist’s campaign made no attempt to license the 1985 hit.

Byrne has since enlisted the help of copyright lawyer Lawrence Iser to file suit against Crist’s campaign. Iser, it turns out, is the man to call when robbed by an arrogant politician. In 2008, Iser successfully sued then presidential candidate John McCain on behalf of Jackson Browne for using a song repeatedly in a national ad campaign.

"People that I knew had seen [the ad] so it had gotten around,” Byrne recently told the BBC. "It's not about politics, it's about copyright and about the fact that it does imply that I would have licensed it and endorsed him and whatever he stands for."

Iser adds: “I was fairly astonished that this soon after the settlement of Browne v McCain, yet another politician with national aspirations is doing this again.”

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Within weeks of Byrne’s suit, a California judge ordered senatorial candidate Chuck DeVore to suspend use of Don Henley’s hits “Boys of Summer” and “All She Wants To Do Is Dance." DeVore went to the length of rerecording new versions of the tracks to avoid paying Henley for licenses.

Not to be out done by his GOP cohorts, Kentucky candidate Rand Paul also got into a little Winona Rider action. Being the total douchestain, errrr I mean "edgy libertarian" that he is, the new face of the Tea Baggers chose Rush's "Spirit of the Radio" as the backing track for recent events. Paul not only signed off on the illegal use of the track but then also quoted Rush lyrics repeatedly in during a recent appearance. Rush's legal team has also filed a cease and desist order against Paul saying, "this is not a political issue — this is a copyright issue. We would do this no matter who it is." Yeah, right.

Disgustingly, these are just the current cases. Sarah Palin and John McCain were sued repeatedly for stealing music in 2008 with suits from Heart, Foo Fighters, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, and Van Halen. Even our liberal darling President Obama got into the act, helping himself to Sam & Dave’s soul classic “Hold On I’m Comin.”

I once found it somehow comforting to say thing like “these politicians are crooks.” Nowadays, though, I find it harder than ever to escape the fact that I am my politicians and they are me. I don’t respect music or musicians, so why would my politicians? If I don't stand up for the artists I love, can I blame politicians for ripping them off? Not without blaming myself first. The music business has been full of questions for the last decade, but maybe best thing we can do is to elect as many thieves as possible, steal as much music as possible and put as many artists out on the streets as we can. Perhaps when Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and 60 million YouTubers playing the same O.A.R. cover are the only music we have left we’ll figure out a way to support those who truly enrich our lives?

Rare Dylan and The Band. Free Stream. Eat, Eat, Ya Vultures . . .

The Band taught at least a few of us around here how to listen to good music. I dare say those Canadian (and Arkansan) bastards even snatched victory from the jaws of "jam band-dom" in one particular case. Thank god for simple gifts . . . And for free gifts. Wolfgangsvault.com is offering a previously unreleased stream of Dylan and The Band's Valentine's Day, 1974 show at the L.A. Forum. Five million people sent in paid ticket orders by mail for the 650,000 tickets that were available over the course of the tour (in support of Planet Waves). It remains the most demanded concert ticket of all time. Who knew? The new live release has all the Dyan gems one really needs to hear plus some Band staples. Ain't nothin' wrooooong with that...

Photo

-Tim Emmerick, Stark Contributing Writer

McCarthy Trenching Video, Just Because We Feel Like It

McCarthy Trenching - The Most Attractive Disguise from Team Love on Vimeo.

Meet McCarthy Trenching. Meet McCarthy Trenching on a boat.

We've recently been turned on to Omaha based songwriter McCarthy Trenching. We recommend you get turned on as well. He's had long touring stints with Bright Eyes and M. Ward and is a treasure trove of sardonic, boozy lyrics. At times his voice sounds freakishly like The Drive By Trucker's Mike Cooley but his songs feel much more spontaneous. His last two records were put out by Team Love and maybe he's making a new record right now? Hard to tell as he currently has no dates listed (or really any news to announce) but check out this video of him rowing a boat. Nice form Mac.

- Stark contributing writer Tim Emmerick

Tim Signs Off, Through Photos

Ok - before we post Tim's sign-off, we at Stark want to say a big thanks to him and Baird for risking their hearing, sobriety and virginity to bring you, our readers, some great coverage of the gong-show that is SXSW. We hope to be down there ourselves with Tim and Baird in 2010 consuming delicious tacos and rock. And country. Tim's write-ups have been some of our favorites we've ever posted, and you're certain to see more from him on this "rag." If you haven't yet done so - be sure to check out Tim's music. He's got a great album titled Hello, Daylight in the works and is playing various dates on the East Cost. Until next time...

Heaven = '09 SX New West Party @ Club Deville

I found SXSW to be a big, hot, stinky event full of rock bands hell bent for leather to keep the bar up high high high. It was truly one of those situations akin to pizza/sex/beer, where even the bad bands were still pretty good. Writing all of this crap about these bands was really fun for me, sort of like keeping score at baseball game. I hope you enjoyed my column. Me and my attorney took some photographs we thought you might like as a cap off to Dead Drunk and Naked. Hope I get to do it again next year.

Stand Strong,
Tim

See Tim's photo recap after the jump

Lake is cute.

Wavves

Wavves

This sums it all up.

New West's Tim Easton

Tim Easton

I'm hungry, I got a taco.

We consume music

I Pledged SXSW

AUSTIN, TX — South by Southwest Countdown: -4. Rogue reporter and musician Tim Emmerick checks in from Austin with up-to-the minute, SX news.

SXSW Day 4: Out with a bang: On a total whim, my attorney and I ended up a party hosted by Vancouver, BC's Mint Records. It was a joyous explosion of rock that made us want to jog in place. So we did. Stay tuned for my SXSW review in pictures.

The Pack AD and The Evaporators at Mint Records' Habana Calle party:
The Pack AD are a bluesy female guitar and drums duo that reminded me of a dirtier, more punky Black Keys. It's rare and feels really good to say that these ladies seriously drop the hammer. Though the songs all revolve around similar blues constructs, their live energy carried them over the hump earning pretty unanimous fist pumps and foot stomps from the crowd. They carried a road worn, self assured presence on stage that heightened the snarly slide guitar and Meg White-y beats. Badass rock chicks excite me.


The Evaporators:
What was the best song in the Evaporators set on Saturday night? Hmm, was it "Sasquatch and Me ate Berries for Free?" Or was it perhaps "Gassy Jack?" Oh, I don't know, I think it may have been "Addicted to Cheese." It was really hard to call in the blur of Canadian Maple Leaf laden spandex suits and various calisthenic eruptions. This was, hands down, the most active (and strangely one of the smallest) crowds of any show I saw at SX. Mysterious front man known only as "Nardwuar the Human Serviette" commanded us crouch down to the floor and then leap to the ceiling, to join hands and dance like sprites of the shire, and to hoist him (and his keyboard) towards the sky for a cacophonous solo. For some reason we did all of these things and applauded. Perhaps is was the brain rot induced by the previous four days of beer, sun stroke and ringing ears. I suspect, however, that the Evaporators also had us under the grip of sneakishly catchy tunes about shit that just made us want to giggle. My SXSW could not have ended on a higher note.

SXSW Day Two: We're Not at Stubb's Anymore

Dead, Drunk and Naked:
Tim Liveblogs the World
(SXSW)
________

AUSTIN (Houston), TX — South by Southwest Countdown: -2 Days. Rogue reporter and musician Tim Emmerick checks in from Austin with up-to-the minute, SX news.

An Educational SX Fieldtrip:

So in an unexpected twist, I ended up with 3rd row seats and VIPs for Elton John and Billy Joel at the Toyota Center in Houston. Needless to say, this was not originally on my list of shows for SX, but when fate says "thou shalt surrender to the Madman Across the Water" you kneel and bow. The contrast between this gig and anything at SXSW felt something like being plucked off the Coney Island boardwalk on the Fourth of July and being dropped into a holiday mixer at the Rainbow Room. The show was nostalgic and glorious. I also couldn't help but to feel a little sad that there wasn't an opener. I guess I should've known better, now that we live in Live Nation Nation, but it was just another reminder of the long-lost days when bands used to get "big." I remember seeing Radiohead open for REM on their Monster tour just before "Creep" broke. And Whiskeytown open for John Fogerty on his Premonition tour. Sure, the foundation of the "indie era" was already laid by then, but you think Radiohead and Ryan Adams didn't benefit from playing in front of all those Moms and Dads? Sir Elton and Billy put on an immense and thrilling show, it'll be sad to see gigs like that disappear.

Life is strange and wonderful @ SXSW

This man is a knight, and pretty much the last person you would expect to see playing while on a trip to SXSW. But as Tim texted us last night, life is strange and wonderful. More to come on this, but basically Tim watched Elton from about 3 rows back at a VIP show last night in Houston. Oh yeah, this guy played too. Go figure.

SXSW: Day One Round Up: Great Success!

Dead, Drunk and Naked:
Tim Liveblogs the World
(SXSW)
________

Tim reports from his first day at SX:

"Yesterday I hit 6th and Red River (where it all happens) with only a moderate agenda and scored big with some great "day party" sets. Here are some highlights:

Caitlin Rose and Vetiver at the Austinist/BMI Party at Mohawk:
Caitlin Rose::
Caitlin Rose is a stone faced killer. She mercilessly launched charm bullets all over the mid-afternoon beer swiggers. Those that may have thought "ehh solo acoustic artists ehh" all got a reminder that when songs are really good, it doesn't much matter how they are accompanied. A particular highlight was "Answer in One of These Bottles," which has all the melody and wit I want in a country tune. The crowd joined in one the final chorus willingly.

More including reviews of Vetiver, Wavves and Lake after the jump.
Vetiver::
Vetiver's set was like sitting in a bath tub at just the right temperature with about a half a bottle of wine. Ya know that feeling where you don't actually know how long you will stay in one particular spot, but you have absolutely no intention of moving? Their songs are lean and satisfying with a lush blend of tones (acoustic and electric guitars, Wurly, electric bass) that made the set feel, as Dostoyevsky first said, "All good." I couldn't exactly tell the origin of each sound, which is, I think, how both band and audience wanted it. In short, these guys killed it and I was pleased to soak it up until sufficiently pruney.

Wavves and Lake (Ha! They're both water) Forcefield PR/Terrorbird Party at Red7:
Wavves::
Wavves are a couple of devious little fuckers. Slipping in a set of deafening 2:30 p.m. punk rants under the cover of hipster costumes. Clever clever. Strip the crunch off the drums and the reverb off the vocals and the sound is a crisp slap in the face. In a good way, like washing your face with cold water.

Lake::
Fun songs + relaxed performance = a relaxed, fun crowd. Lake seems like one of those bands that plays up the "oh, we don't really know what we're doing" thing, but their cover is blown with their hooky writing and intelligent arrangements. Think warm Wurly tone with jangly-electric guitar, zappy synth and Meg White drum beats. They were clearly having fun, not just performing, and it certainly translated. "

Dead, Drunk and Naked:
Tim Liveblogs the World
(SXSW)
________

(This is Tim.)

AUSTIN, TX — South by Southwest Countdown: 6 Days. In the first installment of our new SXSW column Dead, Drunk and Naked, rogue reporter and musician Tim Emmerick checks in from Austin with up-to-minute, pre-SX news.

Via G-Chat:

"Timothy: I went to a gig last night where there were four bands on the bill. The first two pulled like, five people.
The last two both pulled zero.
And I got drunk."

Bold news from a bold man. More updates soon.

Website Launch and New Record - Tim Emmerick

Stark's long-time friend and part-time lover Tim Emmerick just recently launched his new website. In the interest of full disclosure - we all know Tim real well and some of us have spent time playing in his various projects. All that aside - it's our goddamned blog so we're gonna write about him. Right now, Tim is across the pond in Bath, England working up tunes for the follow up record to his debut, North.

Emmerick walks the line between a traditional Americana sound laced with dobro and pedal steel, and a more organic roots-rock-vibe drawing influences from the Drive by Truckers to the Tragically Hip. Hit up the new site and his myspace for tunes, and keep your eye out for more new stuff in the coming months . If you live in England, go visit him and buy him a 40 for us. (Old English HG800 preferred).
http://www.timemmerick.com/
Myspace