haydenandapryl.com

I didn’t know Jay Reatard. Never even met him.

But his passing on Wednesday was definitely felt by me and countless others in the music community. When I was hosting the Memphis Beat on WEVL, I spun many a Lost Sounds (Jay’s band with Alicja Trout) record as well as his various other side projects and even the occasional revisiting of his teenage band, The Reatards (“Loretta,” anyone?). On The Music Lovers, where I focused more on mainstream acts, Jay still got many plays since his solo career pushed itself beyond the local scene and into the musical scene at large. Two years ago, Jay’s single “I’m Watching You” reached Number 21 on The Music Lovers’ Best Songs of 2008. And this past year, I went back and forth between Jay’s “It Ain’t Gonna Save Me” and Nathan Williams’ Wavves “So Bored,” which is funny since the two artists had a well publicized feud that ended with Jay’s backing band leaving Jay and joining up with the Wavves. Drama. Jay’s life seemed to have many moments of drama, as his erratic behavior was often reported as being childish and arrogant. Still, I doubt that was who Jay was 24/7.

Jay was also a success. In fact, I would say he was one of the biggest names to ever come out of the indie/alternative/punk (whatever you want to call it) scene in Memphis. Even bigger than The Oblivians , Reigning Sound, and The Grifters. When MTV’s Five Dollar Cover came out I was surprised that Jay wasn’t featured on it. But, the truth is, Jay was already too big. When Jay signed with the major label Matador, his older fans started to whine that he was selling out. And when his punk records became more and more pop sounding, some of those fans jumped ship. (This criticism of his developing sound seemed strange to me since his music always had a melodic undertone.) Whatever old fans he might have been losing, though, he was gaining new ones daily.

The thing about Jay’s success is that he earned it. When I saw the reports of his death, I was first surprised to learn that he was only 29 because it seemed like he had been around forever. Which I guess he really had, starting his recording career at the age of 15. Not only did Jay have the experience, but he was an extremely hard worker. The man was recording so feverishly that you would think that he knew his days were numbered. And as an artist, Jay was clearly going somewhere with his music, evolving a new sound for himself with each record. It’s a shame that we’ll never know how it all turned out.

Below, Jay performing at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2008:

I never knew Vic Chesnutt. But I did meet him. First, …

Vic Chesnutt is dead. How sad it is to finally write that. He passed away this past Christmas after a failed suicide attempt, in which, he slipped into a coma and never came out of. For those who are unfamiliar with the man, Vic was an amazing literary author masquerading as a singer/songwriter. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida but is more associated with Athens, Georgia, where he moved a few years after becoming partially paralyzed in car accident. Constrained to a wheelchair and having limited use of his forearms, Vic was able to strum a guitar and began performing carefully crafted songs around the local bar scene. Discovered by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, Vic was brought into the studio where out flowed a vast amount of material. (Click here for a touching NPR story of Stipe’s recollections with Vic.) Those early albums like Little, Is the Actor Happy?, and Drunk established himself as a masterful storyteller, but it was his more recent releases that I felt the musician became even more giving to the listener, rewarding them with a more intimate and sharing Vic. Vic was never one to shy away from his depression, and even talked openly about his multiple suicide attempts. And while Vic was suffering mentally, he was also suffering physically. There were many stays in the hospital due to the condition of his frail body, and the medical bills were staggering. Even though he had insurance, he still owed close to $70,000 in hospital bills. Fans of the late musician have set up a website accepting donations to help the Chesnutt family financially.

Another reason Chesnutt’s death has affected me so much is that I relate his music to the start of me and Apryl’s relationship. As many of you out there know, Apryl and I met while volunteering at WEVL. When the two of us hit it off during our shift, I knew I wanted to ask her out on a date. Only, I didn’t alert to her that it was, in fact, a date. But I knew that Vic Chesnutt was coming to town, and being a fan, I was definitely checking it out. So I asked her if she would like to join me. It never occurred to me that she might have no idea who Vic Chesnutt was, which was exactly the case. Somehow I just assumed everyone knew about this man. When we got to the Hi Tone, we met up with another couple. My friend told he had spotted Vic earlier that evening having dinner with his wife at India Palace. Some reason I got very excited about the fact that Vic was eating only a few blocks from my apartment. The show was sparsely attended, and only a select few seemed to be there for the music. I believe it was drink special night, and the patrons were very talkative and loud crashing their used bottles into the trash cans. One of the annoying ones happen to be friend of my sister, so I felt brave enough to ask him to keep it down. And perhaps, I was trying to show off in front of my “date”. After the show, I handed Apryl a mix tape, the first in our relationship. On it, my favorite songs from Vic Chesnutt. She still has it today.

Two years later, Vic returned to Memphis with The Undertow Orchestra, a group including David Bazan, Mark Eitzel, and Will Johnson. While that first show we attended was subdue, this performance was extremely lively and entertaining. One of the things that stands out the most from that night is how funny Vic was on stage. Afterward, Apryl and I both agreed that it was one of the best shows we had seen in a long time. Still is. While the Hi Tone was emptying out, I bought a poster for Apryl and had all the members of the band sign it. For some reason, I was the most nervous asking Vic for his autograph, but he was very kind, and simply signed it: Vic.

That poster is now framed and hangs in our hallway.

Even though I listened to him a bit less in recent years, he still managed to impress me immensely. In 2008, I had his song “You Are Never Alone” as my favorite song of the year, on The Music Lovers’ Best of 2008 show. Recently, Chesnutt had been very busy in the recording studio, releasing three albums in the last two years, including two in 2009. One of the most touching of these new songs was “Flirted With You All My Life,” which I included on The Music Lovers’ Best of 2009 show, but found impossible to rank. In the song, Vic relates his close relationship with death throughout his life. The song sadly concludes with Vic expressing:

Oh Death
Oh Death
Oh Death
Clearly, I’m not ready.

He will be missed. He already is.

WEVL’s Fall Pledge drive ends tomorrow! Pledge now.

Lollapalooza is over. And unfortunately, I’m not going to be receiving a paycheck from being a part of it. Last week, after being on hold for months for the festival that I’ve worked on for the past two years, I was told that the client was bringing in their own crew and gear in order to save money. Which is a shame because working the festival allowed me the opportunity to get paid for taking in a festival that cost the general concertgoer $240.

Of the over 130 artists and band scheduled to play the festival, I was the most interested in the legendary Lou Reed who was performing on the last night. I was first introduced to the music of Mr. Reed when I was a freshman in high school, and I purchased The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed through BMG (remember them?). While that collection certainly initiated the spark, it was the debut The Velvet Underground and Nico that had the most effect on me, especially when it came to discovering new music as I traced the group’s influence on others throughout the years. Apparently, the album also had a strong impact on Beck who has been covering the entire album on his website, adding a new song each week (currently, he’s on “There She Goes Again”).

After The Velvet Underground (which I currently own twelve releases), it was time to discover what the solo Reed had to offer. Apparently, a lot. Over a career that started in 72 and has produced over 20 studio albums and numerous live releases, Reed has covered a lot of ground, creating a career that is constantly changing directions as well as its sound. If your interest lies beyond the greatest hit package, I recommend the box set Between Thought and Expression. Which makes the idea of Reed solo show a bit daunting. I mean where do you even begin?

Well, last night I hopped the train and headed down to Grant Park to find out. Of course, I wasn’t allowed on the main grounds without a ticket, but a small crowd had gathered behind the gates to get a free listen. Check out our view from the first photo on this post. After taking the stage nearly twenty minutes late (what’s he a rap star?), Reed started off with the crowd pleasing, “Sweet Jane”. He then followed this with “Senselessly Cruel” (Rock and Roll Heart) and “Dirty Blvd” (New York) and a few numbers off his last studio album (Ecstasy). After a long, screeching freak out from the band, Reed ended the show with the classics, “I’m Waiting for the Man,” and “Walk on the Wild Side”. The best part of the show, other than to say that I have “attended” a Lou Reed concert, was Reed’s powerful touring band, especially the saxophonist who was really belting it out. Sure, I never got to see Lou but I certainly heard him.

Folks listening to Lou Reed outside Lollapalooza.

As I was leaving, I was thinking how perfect it was that Reed was stationed on the far north stage, since he was right across the street from the Modern Wing of the Art Institute, and the works of Andy Warhol. The cover of The Velvet Underground and Nico is, in fact, a Warhol painting.

Listening across the street as Lou Reed opens up his show with the classic “Sweet Jane”. And believe me, it sounded better than what the mics from my digital still camera could pick up.