My American Idol Chris Isaak, 'S'Wonderful' Brian Wilson & More Rock & Roll Conflicts of Interest

A week or so ago, the Internet was abuzz with the word that Chris Isaak was being considered to be a new judge on American Idol. As passing pop culture rumors go, this was an interesting one for me, especially because I've been a fan of Chris for decades, and a friend of his for nearly as long. In recent years, I had the pleasure of time with Chris, working as a producer on the late, and I think great, TV show The Chris Isaak Hour, an experience that gave me the chance to learn firsthand that Chris is possibly the hardest working man in show business, at least now that the Godfather of Soul is gone. Nothing against Jennifer Lopez or Steven Tyler, whose names we're hearing now and who I like a lot, but I confess that I was rooting for Chris to get a little Idol worship because of his great work ethic -- along with his charm, on and off camera.

Then I listened to Chris' latest album Live At The Fillmore this weekend, and I was reminded that he's already my kind of American idol and one man who should never give up his day job, even if that day job usually happens at night. If you only know Chris' music thanks to a few of his well-known airplay tracks like "Wicked Game," and "Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing," here's a thoroughly excellent way to expand your horizons. More to the point, Live At The Fillmore captures something they can't teach with a few judgmental word on any TV show -- how to masterfully work and entertain a live audience with the help of a finely developed sense of showmanship, some truly inspired songs and a genuinely great rock & roll band behind you. Encouragingly, two of the clear standout numbers on Live At The Fillmore are a couple of songs that can also be heard on Chris's latest studio album, the excellent Mr. Lucky. Yes, Chris is a pal, and yes, I'm clearly smitten in what even my wife has characterized with at least a one-way "rock & roll bromance," but that doesn't mean Live At The Fillmore is any less worthy of your attention.

* * *

This past week I had the honor of introducing Brian Wilson at the Los Angeles album-listening party for his fascinating forthcoming album Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin, for which I was equally thrilled to write the liner notes. As I explained to the crowd at the Pacific Design Center party during my comments, I am now officially Brian Wilson's worst opening act ever. Though I've had many interesting conversations with the former visionary music leader of the Beach Boys over the years, I cannot claim to be a friend. In fact, someone at the party told me that Brian thought my name was either Guy Wild or A Wild Guy -- either one of which probably would have made me a significantly cooler opening act for this musical genius. It didn't matter what I said because Brian and his gifted group immediately followed my shaky act by singing a little "Rhapsody In Blue," perhaps the only composition ever that's even more stunning than some of Brian's genius work.

I encourage anyone who's ever loved Brian Wilson -- or the late great Gershwins, George and Ira -- to check out Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin for themselves. The album features Brian's distinctive takes on some Gershwin favorites, as well as two "new" collaborations -- songs that the Gershwin estate handed over for Brian to complete that have become "The Like In I Love You" and "Nothing But Love." The results are, to my ears, some "S'Wonderful Vibrations" and new pet sounds. As you'll be able to tell if you buy the album and read my notes, I really love the album, in part because it's further proof that Brian Wilson has overcome some less than wonderful times to become not just a rock & roll survivor, but an enduring musical master. So take a little advice from this Wild Guy, and discover Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin, or yourself.

* * *

Okay, while I'm engaging in a little rock & roll conflict of interest, here's a funny one. Brian Dunn is my younger son's guitar teacher, and an excellent guitar teacher he is too. A few years back, Brian invited my family to come see him play in concert with Pretentious, a Pretenders cover band. They really rocked, very much like the real deal. More recently, Brian handed me a new release from an L.A. band he's now playing in called Welcome To Concrete, a much more original rock & roll band that he's more recently joined. Interestingly, like Chrissie Hynde, Welcome To Concrete's frontwoman Beck is a tough, sexy brunette with her own grown up attitude and sex appeal. Check out "Love Spells Disaster" at http://www.facebook.com/welcometoconcrete to see and hear for yourself.

* * *

Finally if you can't get enough of my name-dropping, play-listing, self-serving and/or ramblings, follow me on Twitter or just pretend you like me on Facebook.

 

 

 

Follow David Wild on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Wildaboutmusic

Comments

[debkey]

12:24 PM on 09/15/2010

Just wanted to let you know I first heard of Brian Wilson's new Reimagines Gershwin here in your column, and am totally engrossed and entralled by it.

Brian sounds wonderful and the music is perfect to a T. Thanks for a great recommenda­tion... I might have missed it without you.

[cybolt]

11:15 PM on 08/04/2010

I know it’s weird, but when I think about Chris Isaak, I’m somehow reminded of Billy Vera! Certainly not in their styles or looks but they both moved through their careers similarly (acting etc) and both seem such solid, true-to-th­eir-selves musicians who never sold it out for the big, BIG time.

I remember in LA in the late 70s, you could see Billy and the Beaters on the weekend for a fin and it'd be the best five bucks you spent. He had an amazingly tight band and man, they held a complete lock with the audience. His best song – a ballad with some lyrics worthy of Leonard Cohen – was probably the one ruined by “Family Ties”:

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=OH4odHVfF­5E


The one time I saw Isaak, I got that same feeling. Here was a guy who is truly himself on a concert stage and really, aren’t those the best shows in the world to see? When you feel like it’s just a slightly-l­arger-than­-normal crowd in the guy’s backyard? And I know many people don’t think one song can make a musician but I’ll tell you: anybody who can write something as beautiful, as brilliant, as sensual, as haunting as Wicked Game goes to the front of pretty much *any* line.

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=-oaHHrNQV­rg

And if this song conjures up Lula and Sailor for you as it does me:

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=1xcyTYNj5­Tg

[cybolt]

10:41 PM on 08/04/2010

Two quick comments, for what they're worth.

Brian Wilson interpreti­ng anything is worth a listen. That one of the greatest songwriter­s and musical minds of this generation would spend some time with arguably the greatest songwriter­s in our country's history makes it a music fan's "must."

The Gershwin estate "giving" Brian songs to complete sparks my memory of "Mermaid Avenue," the brilliant collaborat­ion between Billy Bragg and Wilco, in which they set unpublishe­d poems and lyrics of Woody Guthrie to their own contempora­ry musical interpreta­tions.

The best? IMHO, that would be “Californi­a Stars.” The song for me evokes many images, one of which is of Guthrie himself laying in a field at night somewhere in California­’s great, fertile Central Valley. And then 20 years later, scribbling out his recollecti­ons.

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=z4RIkHROc­6g

[Conk]

10:29 AM on 08/03/2010

When I first heard Wicked Game I nearly fell over. LOVED that whole album. Wicked Game is one of the sexiest songs ever. But his subsequent CDs never had the spark for me. Still like the guy and his sense of humor. His show was good too.

[AsISaid]

02:10 AM on 08/03/2010

Thank you for your comments about Brian Wilson. I first saw the Beach Boys in 1964 and probably 25 times or more afterward. The surf music was fun, but the lesser known songs and melodies have always been my favorites. It's always amazed me that Brian Wilson was viewed as a niche performer and artist for so many decades - somewhat the fault of his record labels and the media I would imagine.

A few years ago, I was intrigued that his completion of 'Smile' was going to be unveiled, live, after 40 some years of laying dormant. I drove nearly 300 miles to see the performanc­e not knowing what to expect. I was blown away

The intricacy and depth of Wilson's music is like nothing I've ever heard from any one else in 'rock and roll'. One wonders what he could have produced during the years had he not gone through his problems. Regardless­, his body of work is simply outstandin­g and like no others'.

I can't wait to buy the new CD.

[David Wild]

09:09 AM on 08/03/2010

Great, I hope you love it too.

Thanks

[RepugsOut08]

10:01 PM on 08/02/2010

I've loved Chris and his music for years. I've never had the privilege of seeing him in concert, so this live album will be a very welcome addition. It would really be cool if they did a DVD version as well.
I was going to ask you if Chris was planning on a DVD set of his show, and I see you've answered another poster below. I never got to see the show, because my @#%$# cable company didn't carry it.
That is one DVD set I would love to own. I hope it gets released, and soon!

And, Chris, if you're reading this, "Little Buddha" is one of my favorite movies. You were great in it!

The Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin sounds really interestin­g as well. For a time there years back, I thought he'd never perform again, but he's truly proof that it's never too late to turn things around.
The CD and DVD of "Smile," are treasures I don't think any of us Brian Wilson fans thought we'd ever see.

Thanks for the heads up, David, and I'll check out Welcome To Concrete as well.

[David Wild]

11:34 PM on 08/02/2010

Thank you Repugs

[daria2662]

08:24 PM on 08/02/2010

Thanks for your comments on Chris Isaak. He's the real thing--in it for the music and the performanc­e.
Beyond being gifted with a tremendous voice, he possesses the rare gift of truly connecting with his live audience. I've seen him twice (soon to be three times) and am addicted to the experience­. In this musical era of huge stadium shows replete with theatrics, choruses of back-up singers, and over-produ­ced dancing, it's nice to experience a six piece band that really brings it every time. I love it.

[Applecheeks]

09:03 PM on 08/02/2010

And he signs autographs after the show! Who does that???? LOOOOOOOVE him!

[David Wild]

09:16 PM on 08/02/2010

He's a classy guy

[David Wild]

09:17 PM on 08/02/2010

Well put. I'll tell him to read these and feel the love.

Thanks

[brijit]

07:27 PM on 08/02/2010

Speaking of Chris Isaak, when oh when are they going to put The Chris Isaak Show out on DVD?

[David Wild]

08:33 PM on 08/02/2010

I've asked, and they want to. It's bascially a huge music clearance issue. I just heard from Chris today, and I will write back and ask him again.

[Applecheeks]

09:04 PM on 08/02/2010

Show off! ; )

[MaryQue]

06:51 PM on 08/02/2010

I see Chris Isaak in concert just about every chance I get. Love the music, love the showmanshi­p, and love the fun he and the band all seem to be having with every show. The first time I saw him live, back in the late 80s, I had no idea he was such a funny guy as well as having that great voice, and such a nice guy too.

[David Wild]

07:01 PM on 08/02/2010

He is the real deal -- and a great guy to boot.

Thanks for writing.

[RobinSeattle]

09:04 PM on 08/02/2010

I have to say, as far as that whole neo-countr­y stuff went, I liked Lone Justice and Dwight Yoakam (well, Yoakam was an actual country singer, but anyway) more. But that's just my personal taste.

Fwiw.

[Jude Nagurney Camwell]

06:00 PM on 08/02/2010

Thanks for the tip, Guy Wild. :) I heard - and liked "Love Spells Disaster" - fanned Welcome to Concrete on FB. Noticed they have listed one favorite fan page themselves - Hamell on Trial - and that warms my heart. Eddie Hamell's from my hometown - Syracuse. A great talent and a big heart. Small world! Used to see him in the clubs with his band, The Works..tha­t was 20+ years ago. Where does the time go? When you find out, let me know please. When Brian Wilson re-imagine­s anyone's music, it's bound to be interestin­g. I'll be sure check out the album. One more look at the Wicked Game video and I'm once again instantly head over heels for Chris Isaak!

[David Wild]

06:11 PM on 08/02/2010

Wow, we are so on the same page.

Thanks for writing.

[hip dibler]

03:24 PM on 08/02/2010

the chris isaak show was really good. at least i thought so.

[David Wild]

04:11 PM on 08/02/2010

Thanks -- I'm with you

[Milash]

03:24 PM on 08/02/2010

Musicians from San Francisco rawk!!!!!! Thanks, David!

[David Wild]

04:12 PM on 08/02/2010

Agreed

Thanks

[Chaling]

03:19 PM on 08/02/2010

wow, Rhapsody in Blue is my number one single favorite piece of music, have at least four full-blown­/complete versions of it. Unfortunat­ely, one is just a mechanical play, "just-the-­notes, ma'am" and you can tell. that whole thing needs FEELING from the musicians. That is often a CD-copy gift for others.(Ri­nB, not the bad one)

and have three Chris Isaak CDs, (1987 his first one, untitled), Heart Shaped World, and San Francisco Days. but what is funny about that, I had seen the movie, Wild at Heart, at the cinema but had not heard the Wicked Game song until shortly later on the radio. All I can guess is it was playing towards the end during that intense scene when the chollos came by and Cage was dying.
Years later almost rented it to find out but since I have a hard time seeing the same movie twice....

oh, David, Georgia Rule(not Rules) plays sometimes on Lifetime, I caught a fair amount of it a few weekends ago.

[Rachel Harbaugh]

12:55 PM on 08/02/2010

I have to agree with you about Chris Isaak. I've seen him in concert about 6-7 times over the past 15 years. He is an amazing musician with an incredible voice who is so underrated and overlooked by the mainstream music scene. However, his true fans show up to his concerts and we sing along to every song, not just Wicked Game. We love his interactio­ns with Kenney Dale Johnson and the rest of the band. He's a great talent with an old-school work ethic. He's also hilarious in between songs and will sign autographs for everyone who gets in line after every show. I'm so excited that he finally released a live album--I'v­e been waiting for this for years. Good luck to Chris...he­'s a treasure.

[David Wild]

01:05 PM on 08/02/2010

Well, said.

Thanks

[dunedin]

10:54 AM on 08/02/2010

With due respect to Raul Malo, I always felt that Chris Isaak was the true heir to Roy Orbison's crown, and I can't think of a higher compliment than that.

[David Wild]

12:07 PM on 08/02/2010

I agree, and in fact, Chris has told me many times how amazing Roy was. Chris opened up for Roy early on in his career, and Chris says that he was the ultimate class act -- literally refusing to do interviews unless the journalist would talk to Chris too.

PS I love Raul Malo too.

[dunedin]

01:24 PM on 08/02/2010

My parents saw Roy in concert in 1963 or 64 and he allowed one of his opening acts to close the show. A band from Liverpool named The Beatles.