The benefit concert. It seems fitting to write about a benefit concert today; on same the day that we found out Ravi Shankar , (aged 92, and father to Norah Jones) left the Earth. He, for those of you who don’t know, is the father of the benefit concert. He organized the first one in 1971 (along with George Harrison of the Beatles) for those stricken by famine in Bangladesh.
12-12-12 will be fundraising concert for Sandy victims. It is a noble cause. Having seen the destruction in New Orleans, post-Katrina and Joplin, post-tornado, I know that there’s still much to be done on the ravaged Eastern Seaboard. I planned to do my bit; tune in, donate, and all in all, enjoy a lovely night of music which is to include the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Kayne, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Roger Waters (Pink Floyd—The Wall and before), Eric Clapton, and many more.
And then, this morning, I heard that Nirvana (namely Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters fame and Krist Novoselic of civic service in his community fame) was rumored to be reuniting. They would play again for the first time in nearly 20 years—when lead man Kurt Cobain killed himself in his Seattle home, likely after being baited to do so by the nasty Courtney Love. Cobain left his band in tatters and a small daughter, who has thankfully grown to be a decent woman, despite her mother’s attempts to the contrary…
But I digress. The rumor is that they would reunite for the first time since 1994, and be playing a new song at the benefit concert. But, who would be replacing Kurt? Would it be Eddie Vedder? I couldn’t imagine he would accept that offer, but it would be notable—given that Cobain and Vedder brought the alternative music scene to the masses after the 1989 John Peel sessions in the UK. Would they get someone from the bands that played the Seattle scene in the early days with Nirvana? Would they get Mark Arm from Mudhoney? That would make sense. They often played together, and covered one another’s songs.
NO. They did not go that way. They went the complete opposite of that way. You cannot even imagine how NOT THAT WAY they went.
They went this WAY.
They went with Sir Paul McCartney. You see, that whole Harrison blip in the first paragraph? That was foreshadowing. McCartney let the cat out of the bag in The Sun. He’s quoted as saying:
“I didn’t really know who they were. They are saying how good it is to be back together. I said ‘Whoa? You guys haven’t played together for all that time? And somebody whispered to me ‘That’s Nirvana. You’re Kurt.’ I couldn’t believe it.”
He didn’t even KNOW WHO THEY WERE! I don’t even think I can count all of the ways in which this is wrong. I honestly don’t know if I can watch this concert now. Well, I take that back. I’ll watch it, hiding my face behind my hands and peering through my fingers.
Here’s the deal: McCartney is from my parent’s generation. I know a lot of people enjoy the Beatles (I’m not one of them), and I know that this enjoyment of the Beatles transcends generations, but the Beatles belonged to my parents and Nirvana belonged to me. My generation. The generation who could not believe that he would come on the main stage for a brief three years, change the complete scope of what we listened to on the radio (goodbye Vanilla Ice, NKOTB, and Janet Jackson; hello Bush, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc.!), and then just be gone. Like that. While McCartney certainly has his merits, the fact remains that concert organizers couldn’t pick a worse stand in for Kurt Cobain.
Cobain was the man who wore the “Corporate Rock Sucks” t-shirt, after all. And the Beatles, of course, were pioneers in the Corporate Rock scene. The cognitive dissonance in my mind right now on this one issue cannot be resolved. I haven’t even begun to grapple with the others.
Shame on you, whoever made this happen! Shame on you, concert organizers for attempting to spring this on me! Shame! For Shame!!!
Lance
12/12/2012
This seems hoaxy. Even if it isn’t, it’s just wrong. Remember Lou Reed with Metallica doing Sweet Jane? It sucked.
I like the idea of benefit concerts. I don’t like the idea of bands teaming up or artists dueting. Queen at Live Aid 1985 worked because it was Freddie Mercury showing you why he was great. But it was just queen.
Kurt, the lead search on my blog is Kurt Cobain Sychophant. You know I love you. Please forgive them, wait, don’t forgive Dave and Krist. They know better.
Sarah
12/12/2012
Goodness, I hope you’re right and it is a hoax. I don’t see how anyone would think this is a good idea. That being said, we’ve seen worse collaborations and ideas in the past. And if it is just a gimmick to get more people to watch (rubbernecking to see the train wreck) then that pisses me off, too!
Kath
12/12/2012
Ok, time for me to play Devil’s Advocate for a minute. I agree with Sir Paul not playing with Dave and Krist. But I do understand the draw of it. I read an account that Grohl was watching McCartney in awe at yesterday’s rehearsal. There is always a strong pull for one generation’s musicians to play with the legends. And that’s what Paul is. Yes, I am of your parent’s generation or even past. The Beatles didn’t only change the music world, they changed the world. You had to be there to really understand what happened.
I am also of the generation that thinks, while NIrvana definitely changed music with a new sound, after a few more wannabees, the music scene has been in a death spiral since.
I also have a really hard time believing McCartney didn’t know who Dave Grohl was, it’s not as if he’s retired from the business, he’s still rocking his ass off at the age of freakin’ 70. And I’m not really sure what you mean by the Beatles being Pioneers of Corporate Rock. When the Beatles were a band, corporate rock did not exist.
Whether we like it or not, most of the buzz about tonight’s concert has been about McCartney…with or without the Nirvana guys. It’s gonna be a hell of a night of music, I personally can’t wait.
News at eleven.
Lance
12/12/2012
but their styles and energy and influences are completely different.also, Paul’s 123 years old.
This is just wrong. You want to team Mike Ness or Eddie Vedder or Ian Astbury or someone from the 80s or 90s with Dave and Krist, fine. but not this.
Sarah
12/12/2012
Agreed. There were many other suitable options– all from the same or similar genres. Perhaps someone who knew the members of the band (and perchance, Kurt) and could pay true homage to any reunion endeavors.
Kath
12/12/2012
I agree it’s not a good idea, but I do understand that’s how these things work. As for styles and influences…nothing wrong with cross generations working together. Can you get more different than k.d. lang and Tony Bennett, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, or even Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t.
As for Sir Paul, he’s only 70. Be kind to us old people.
Sarah
12/12/2012
While I agree with you on many points (you have to look long and hard to find some music these days that is not in the music death spiral– which I will now be incorporating into everyday conversations– it can be found, and most of it is Indie) I disagree with the statement that the Beatles weren’t pioneers of corporate rock. They were the frontrunners (along with some others, to be sure) of stadium/arena shows, merchandise, extreme fandom, etc.
Kath
12/12/2012
Agreed on the indie stuff, no question, but it needs to overtake this Beiber,One Direction and what the hell else passes for music crap. A long road in this world of fake reality, fake music and fake celebrities.
Still don’t really see the corporate rock link. To me, corporate rock comes from allowing your songs as commercials(which almost any indie group would do these days, since record contracts are almost non-existent) and which was something the Beatles as a band never did. Or having sponsorship for touring, which again these days is pretty much inevitable.
Touring was very different in those days for a band like the Beatles. It wasn’t a night here or there for months on end. They would blow in do a couple of shows and be gone. Stadiums, yes, Shea, the Hollywood Bowl…we’re not talking 100K seaters. They were something new, fans were crazy for it. They were crazy for Elvis too and Sinatra. Fandom was there way before the Beatles, it just was able to be seen on the evening news.
Bernie
12/12/2012
God Bless Ravi Shankar! The world lost a Great Man but not his message.
Sarah
12/13/2012
Agreed. Shankar did a wonderful amount of good during his time on this planet.
Bernie
12/13/2012
I cannot believe Paul McCartney did the Nirvana thing. I am from the 60′s generation and I feel Paul really sold out. Nothing against Virvana and the memory Of Kurt Cobain but it was not his (Pauls) thing. I do not understand why he did it? I bet the recording sells in the millions but my generation had the Beatles, Stones, The Who, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, Jimi Hendrix, Joplin and I have not even gotten started. Paul should have relented to someone like Slash or a musician more of generation X. Only my opinion! I feel he sold out my generation and yours. IMHO.