Them Crooked Vultures: Sound Academy Toronto

Them Crooked Vultures, Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, Foo Fighter's/Nirvana's Dave Grohl, Queen of a Stones Age's Josh Homme, and Alain Johannes, stepped on the Sound Academy stage in Toronto without fanfare or introduction, and spent an hour and a half blowing the roof off the place. Loud, tight and played at a pace that can rightfully be described as frantic, Them Crooked Vultures didn't let up from beginning to end.

The show began with Elephants, shifting time signatures throughout, Them Crooked Vultures announced immediately they weren't just another band. John Paul Jones stepped out with an 8 string bass, but didn't stay with it long as he changed instruments with every song: the 8 string, a regular bass, a slide bass, a keytar, piano, and a baritone jogamathingy, complete with skyward facing strings and built in TV set (lest he miss his favorite soccer team?).

Jones played  with a relaxed calm that belied the thunderous power emanating from himself and his band-mates. Looking at his ease and enjoying himself, Jones even stepped to the microphone for a call and response type verse. His piano solo was shorter than fans of his earlier work are used to, but satisfactorily familiar for that. I couldn't help but wonder if he would call his new piano solo two-bits, as his ex-band mates had stolen no quarter from him in an earlier incarnation.

Unlike Jones' calm detached concentration, drummer Dave Grohl was channeling the Muppets Animal: head bobbing, hair flying, sticks pounding in a frantic blast of timekeeping. Unfortunately, Grohl eschewed a drum riser (or at lease a riser of any significance), making him virtually invisible over heads in the packed house. That aside, his playing was top notch, showing no signs of rust for having spent the past ten years fronting the Foo Fighters instead of drumming.  It's not easy to keep in drummer shape, but Grohl kept it up for the full set, with no breath catching ballads to be found. Alain Johannes filled out the rhythm section with solid guitar duties, as well as playing bass when Jones' played his horizontal slide TV.

As a guitar player I can say with authority it would be a dream to play in front of such a rhythm section, but at the end of the day, Them Crooked Vultures are a Josh Homme vehicle as much as anything else. He fronts the band, he sings, he plays lead guitar. However, Homme's vocal was lower in the mix than is usual, and the vocals got lost in the thunderclap rhythm section. Technical nit-pickery aside, Them Crooked Vultures blew away a jam packed house at The Sound Academy, a startling achievement considering none of the music is available for public consumption as of yet.

Setlist (from setlist.fm)

1. Elephants


2. Dead End Friends


3. Scumbag Blues


4. Gunman


5. Caligulove


6. New Fang


7. Bandoliers


8. Interlude w/ ludes


9. Reptiles


10. Daffodils


11. Mind Eraser


12. Nobody Loves Me


13. Warsaw

***************

Notes

No introduction necessary: Singer Homme introduced Dave Grohl and Alain Johannes, but when it came to Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, he merely pointed to Jones side of the stage before the crowd roared in approval. Despite the lack of formal introduction, by evenings end chants of "John Paul Jones, John Paul Jones..." could be heard between songs.

The very strict no camera policy seen at some TCV shows seemed to relax on this evening, possibly because the size of the crowd made any form of enforcement impossible. That said, heavy use of back lighting by the band made taking decent pictures a challenge.

A variety of t-shirts, as well as a touque style hat was available for sale.

It Got Loud

It Might Get Loud, the guitarist documentary featuring Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White, returned to Toronto, where it was premiered the the 2008 Toronto Film Festival, allowing me to finally catch a viewing.


The documentary brings the three guitarists together to jam, talk guitar and share experiences. The meeting of the fingers is supplemented by following each guitarists to a location away from the meeting: U2's The Edge to  Mount Temple secondary school in Dublin, where U2 formed and performed their first gig; Jimmy Page to Headley Grange, the Victorian mansion where Led Zeppelin recorded their legendary 4th album, as well as Led Zeppelin III and songs that would appear on Physical Graffiti; Jack White is filmed at a home, presumably his, with a young friend in tow, ostensibly 9 year old Jack White. For a guitar geek like myself, and a big time Jimmy Page fan, the result is a must see movie.

The three guitarists are blues/rock guys, with wholly different approaches to the genre, made apparent when Jack White is discussing how he dislikes effects pedals while director Davis Guggenheim edits in a forklift carrying The Edge's pedal board (it is an astounding array of pedals).

Throughout the movie Led Zeppelin guitarist Page is treated as the elder statesman, both by the two younger guitarists and by the director himself. The awe on the faces of Jack White and The Edge when Page plays Whole Lotta Love, inspiring The Edge to move to a different position for a better view. Even when they are driving to their various spots for the personal sections, White and The Edge drive themselves, while Page sits in the backseat, elegant in fine coat looking more like a wealthy banker than rock star. All elegance and grace, the only thing missing from the effect is a walking stick.

Musical highlights include Page playing the mandolin part from Battle of Evermore, White playing an old boogie woogie piano song, stomping his foot and singing along barrelhouse style, and The Edge showing how his effects change a simple song into a complex sounding layer of sound. Jointly they play In My Time of Dying and The Weight, with all three sharing in the vocal duties on the latter (Page most reluctantly). Page showing off his Theremin at movies end is also fun.

It might get loud is a treat for fans of each of the artists or their bands, an absolute must see for guitar players and a gift from God for guitar players who are fans of any of the three.

Them Crooked Vultures Tour

Them Crooked Vultures inaugural tour begins in Austin Texas on October 1st, and carries across America for 9 dates in 14 days.  Here are the dates:

October 1st Austin, TX - Stubb's
October 2nd Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
October 5th Nashville, TN - War Memorial
October 6th Columbus, OH - LC Pavilion
October 8th Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
October 9th Toronto, Ontario - The Sound Academy
October 11th Boston, MA - House of Blues
October 12th Philadelphia, PA - The Electric Factory
October 14th Washington, DC - 930 Club

Tickets are on sale now for all shows, although some appear sold out.

Ramble On will be at the Toronto show so a full report will be forthcoming.

After the North American Fall Tour, the band will begin a UK Winter Tour in December with 7 shows in 8 days:

December 10th Plymouth, England - Pavilions
December 11th Portsmouth, England - Guildhall
December 13th Blackpool, England - Empress Ballroom
December 14th Birmingham, England - O2 Academy
December 15th Edinburgh, Scotland - O2 Academy
December 12th-17th London, England - HMV Hammersmith Apollo

Them Crooked Vultures

John Paul Jones new vehicle, Them Crooked Vultures, with Dave Grohl and Josh Homme, debuted at a midnight show at Chicago's Metro. The show was at the lollapalooza after show concert. Reviews are coming in, and they are strong.

For the best information, head to Lemon Squeezings where Steve has an a comprehensive running post on the show.  The Chicago Tribune has the first Them Crooked Vultures review:

[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Them Crooked Vultures at The Metro"][/caption]

The term “super group” gets thrown around way too often in rock, but in the case of Them Crooked Vultures, it applies...

...the music has been a mystery; none of the tracks has leaked on the Internet, and the group’s future plans are shrouded in secrecy. After debuting a dozen songs at Metro, the group made it very clear that it’s not only for real, but also has the chance to be the exception to the super-group rule... Crooked Vultures sounded like it was on to something fresh, invigorating and just plain nasty...

History tells us that super groups usually don’t last very long. But at least this particular one is off to a rousing start.

The full twelve song set list is also being reported:

Elephants
New Fang
Scumbag Blues
Dead End Friends
Bandoliers
Mind Eraser
Gunman
Daffodils
Interlude w/ Ludes
Caligulove
Warsaw
Nobodys Loves Me

The blog Hightower and Jones where even more ebullient about the debut:

Three words: Them Crooked Vultures. Five additional words: are the greatest band ever. On August 10, the Metro was sold out, the house lights went down, the audence screamed and Them Crooked Vultures made their debut. To call it the greatest debut ever is like calling Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a mere center or Bruce Lee a simple martial artist. To call it promising would severely downplay the talent of the band's members and the songs that spanned their 77 minute debut.

Holy cow! But tell us how you really felt.

Wyatt, the ZepCowboy, has some images of  merchandise, specifically the poster.



Also on sale was a t-shirt, which is also available online at the  Them Crooked Vultures merchandise store.



The trio also have an album scheduled for October 23rd release, titled according to rumour, "Never Deserved the Future."

Led Zeppelin to Fill Michael Jackson's Glove?

When Michael Jackson died, he left a variety of assets, most of which will be dealt with in his will.

[caption id="attachment_121" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The 02 Marquis"][/caption]

One that will not be is his 50 dates at London's 02 arena. Promoters AEG Live have 50 dates booked at the London site that recently held Led Zeppelin's reunion show, and nobody to fill them.

Many media sources are now reporting that Abba and Led Zeppelin have been approached to share those spots. Abba's Benny Andersson has already denied being approached, and has also stated that if approached the Swedish quartet would decline. That leaves Led Zeppelin.

To be sure, it seems doubtful in the extreme that Robert Plant would agree to such a thing. However, no word, denial or otherwise, has emerged from the Zeppelin camp. Abba was denying this rumour three days ago. It must be a considered possibility that Led Zeppelin is considering the idea, although by considering it I really mean Jimmy Page and Jason Bonham have tied Robert Plant to a chair and are forcing him to watch Brett Michaels Rock of Love re-runs until he says yes. None the less, the silence is interesting.

Maybe for this series of shows, the Zeppeliners will play something from In Through the Out Door, which was recorded at Abba's Polar Studios.

The Rumour Persists

There seems to be truth to the rumour that Joshua Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones are working and recording together. The website antiquiet is reporting that the rumours are true, and that we should be excited.

According to Homme's wife, Brody Dalle of Spinnerette:

[the project] is pretty fucking amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before.

Hopefully we'll all soon get to be the judge of that, as Jones is quoted as saying in April he was working on some new music and "we hope to be everywhere by summer."

Hey JPJ - it's summer and we are waiting.

Is John Paul Jones in the Studio?

The blog Plastic Pizza Party is reporting that:

Joshua Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones have been holed up in a Los Angeles recording studio working on a new record. The new band name and record release date are currently TBA … keep your ears peeled kiddos

Obviously I can't verify this report, but an old interview in Mojo of Dave Grohl, that seems to be from around 2005-2006, reports the same thing:

The next project that I'm [Grohl] trying to initiate involves me on drums, Josh Homme on guitar, and John Paul Jones playing bass. That's the next album. That wouldn't suck.

So the question:, is this finally happening, or just a re-hash of old information?