From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V6 #174 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.pattygriffin.net/PattyInConcert.html * OR * go to http://www.atorecords.com * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V6 #___ gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Thursday, May 2 2002 Volume 06 : Number 174 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: MM 1000 Kisses criticism ["=?iso-8859-1?q?Ma'eee?=" ] MM: 1000 Kisses [adamk@zoom.co.uk] MM: Re: MM 1000 Kisses criticism ["Thomas H. Kercheval" ] MM: Who owns Silver Bell songs [John ] Re: MM: Birchmere Review [FlamingRed74@aol.com] MM: Stage presence, et al [FlamingRed74@aol.com] Re: MM: Patty at the Somerville Theater [Greg Smith Subject: MM: MM 1000 Kisses criticism Dear all It's blind worship of anything that an artist produces that can often result in them dissappearing up their own bottoms (U2, REM, . Everybody has the right to express an opinion and that includes comstructive criticism. The reason for my anger is that she is capable of so much more than what is on 1000 kisses. About touring. If every artist wanted a record deal before they would tour a country then nobody would tour anywhere. Touring is what you do to increase your profile in order to get a record deal, not just something you do to support your album. Skunk Anansie toured like hell around the UK and the USA to raise thier profile. Patty is on ATO. David Gray is on ATO. Why can't ATO release it in the UK? (She already as a deal!) EM (Justifiably pissed off!) Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 07:29:20 -0500 From: amber bass-patterson Subject: MM: RE: Re: Re: Re: Welcome the Newcomer lisa wrote, " there are songs I can't stand...that i skip over every single time...for instance "Standing." i love this song! gives me chills. i skip over 'sorry and sad' and won't fing apoplogize to anyone about it! amber "Through Movement We Find Health" The Nia Technique ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 07:49:16 -0500 From: amber bass-patterson Subject: MM: patty does dallas hey fellow texans patty will be at the gypsy tea room may 24. tix already on sale. www.gypsytearoom.com 2548 Elm St. Dallas, TX 75226 Boxoffice & Info Line: 214-744-9779 Ticket Vendor: Startickets.com 888-597-7827 amber "Through Movement We Find Health" The Nia Technique ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 13:45:35 +0100 (BST) From: adamk@zoom.co.uk Subject: MM: 1000 Kisses First: I have nothing against accordians. In the right hands, they can be a wondrous thing (check out Tom Waits). They can be seedy, they can evoke melancholy --- I actually think it works rather well in 1000 Kisses. (Digression: I sure remember Al Yankovic -- hell, I even liked his film, UHF!) Second: I think it's a gross generalisation to say that the people who are disappointed in 1000 Kisses are those who preferred Flaming Red. I, for one, lean more towards LWG, so the tempo of the album is not a problem for me. Third: Repeated listenings have only yielded a fondness for Rain. Listening it while on the top deck of a bus winding its way up London in the pissing down rain certainly helped. This, however, has become the first Patty album where I have, after giving them many tries, actually resorted to skipping tracks -- the title track, in particular. fourth: I'm actually kind of gratified at the response. In other digests and newsgroups in the past, I hve been flamed to a crisp and stoned as a heretic for daring to suggest that the latest release by the relevant artist is not quite staggering, awe-inspiring work of sheer perfection and the best thing they've ever done. It's hard to criticise: the artist owes their public nothing but their vision, and any complaints seem ungrateful and selfish. But sometimes you know...you just know...that they could do better. Case in point (and here I wonder increasingly off-topic) is the new Bob Mould cd, which I just got, where he discovers electronica. Jeez, it's bad. It really is....oh, I'd rather not think about it. adam k. Get your own zoom email - click here - http://www.zoom.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 08:46:17 -0400 From: "Thomas H. Kercheval" Subject: MM: Re: MM 1000 Kisses criticism > Dear all > It's blind worship of anything that an artist produces > that can often result in them dissappearing up their > own bottoms (U2, REM, . Everybody has the right to > express an opinion and that includes comstructive > criticism. The reason for my anger is that she is > capable of so much more than what is on 1000 kisses. Respectfully, I couldn't disagree with this more. Perhaps my opinion is clouded by the fact that I just saw Patty last night at the Birchmere. Seeing her live is always a huge reminder of how unbelievably gifted she is, and every song she did from 1,000 Kisses was just stunning. Of course, I loved the album before the show, but the show really solidified its brilliance to me. I think the album has to be viewed in the context of Patty's work as a whole, and certainly in the context of the struggles she's gone through just to release A record. 1,000 Kisses is short, but I prefer to think of it as concise, saying exactly what it wants to say without overstaying its welcome. I think "Silver Bell" suffered a bit from trying to take on too much, too many styles. 1,000 Kisses has some of my favorite Patty tracks of all time, particularly "Chief" (I don't get the "Poor Man's House" comparison at all), "Long Drive Home" and "Nobody's Crying." I'm glad people are expressing how they feel about the CD, and I'm certainly one who will not hesitate to criticize other favorite artists of mine when I feel they haven't lived up to expectations, but, honestly, I just don't get the criticism of 1,000 Kisses. I think it's Patty at her finest, and probably her most consistent release yet. I hope everyone gets a chance to see her, though. There is no substitute. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 13:49:41 +0100 (BST) From: adamk@zoom.co.uk Subject: MM: gary the hero. "Date: Wed, 1 May 2002 19:02:51 -0500 From: "Jessica Boyer" Subject: MM: Re: Re: Welcome the Newcomer evil gary is my hero." He's mine, too. Can we have him bronzed? adam k. Get your own zoom email - click here - http://www.zoom.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 09:31:05 -0400 From: Subject: MM: Birchmere Review Chalk up another amazing Patty performance last night at the Birchmere, one of the best places on the east coast to see a live show. My wife and I met another couple at our table who had just recently discovered Patty after seeing her on Austin City Limits. They only had the first two albums and were really looking forward to seeing her live, so it was kind of cool to see that reaction that people get when they see her for the first time. However, it might have been a bit "iffy" in the beginning. The band came out and began "Milos Besos", playing a few bars before Patty came walking out to a great reception from the jam-packed club. I think the couple I mentioned were wondering if this was the right Patty Griffin when she began singing in Spanish - a bizarre choice for an opener, perhaps, but it was quite endearing. After that, it was straight-ahead Patty like we know and love her, performing many songs from the new CD, the unreleased "Florida," and other oldies. About an hour and a half show. Just some observations - the band is a fantastic compliment to her, providing a really moody, hypnotic atmosphere with cello, piano, accordion, and Doug Lancio's ethereal guitar playing. It really took certain songs to brand new levels. This especially held true for "Tony." Some girl yelled for the song earlier in the show, and Patty said, "You know, I just have a contrary nature that when someone yells out a song, then I just CAN'T play it. It's nothing against you, it's just the way I am." To which someone responded, "DON'T play 'tony.'" She just laughed it off, but, a couple songs later, the familiar guitar parts of that song began. Wow. Honestly, it was just the most moving powerful version of that song I've ever heard. Just beautiful. Patty seemed especially confident the whole show and really exuded a certain quality that seems to suggest that she's moving up to the next level of "stardom." That's the wrong word, but I hope you know what I mean here - she just seemed more professional, more in control of the show and the audience. She did "Mad Mission," "Let Him Fly," "Poor Man's House," "Flaming Red," "Long Ride Home," "Rain," "Be Careful," "Ruby's Arms," "Chief," "Makin' Pies" and others that now escape me. Her voice was just fantastic all night, hitting notes that I just couldn't believe. She closed with an amazing, ethereal version of "Top of the World" that was arranged similarly to the version on "Silver Bell." Btw, as to the "Makin' Pies" questions, she says she re-recorded it for the new album, so I guess she could in theory re-record the entire "Silver Bell" album if she wanted to. Apparently it's the recording the old record company owns, not the songs themselves. At least that's the way it seems to me.... Anyway, the couple I mentioned earlier were just stunned by the show, and immediately bought the new CD. They sort of walked out in a daze. :-) I enjoy criticizing sometimes, I really do, but....I could find nothing worth criticizing from this performance. Oh, and Patty also joined the opening act (whose name escapes me) on a beautiful version of "Dirty Old Town." A nice preview it was of the great show to come. ***** ******* ********** **************** ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 10:20:36 -0400 From: John Subject: MM: Who owns Silver Bell songs dissident@mindspring.com wrote "Btw, as to the "Makin' Pies" questions, she says she re-recorded it for the new album, so I guess she could in theory re-record the entire "Silver Bell" album if she wanted to. Apparently it's the recording the old record company owns, not the songs themselves. At least that's the way it seems to me...." I was just reading an article that said Patty could re record up to 5 SB songs and beyond that she has to PAY THEM to re do her own material. If that isn't one of the most insulting arrangements I have ever heard of...but it may have been part of the deal her manager cut to free her from her contract. Regarding the Mil Besos opener, at the Somerville show Patty came out and never looked happier all night than she did signing those Spanish lyrics. I was in the front row and she was positively beaming. I think it works great as an opener and thought that MAKING PIES was more powerful for coming a bit later in the set. John ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 10:30:05 EDT From: FlamingRed74@aol.com Subject: Re: MM: Birchmere Review Tom mentioned Patty's "contrary nature" & the talk she had about that at the Birchmere show last night. I have a funny story to tell about this. I was at the show last night, and the one on Monday.. and I'm going to the Keswick tonight too! What happened last night was funny, because on Monday at the Ram's Head someone requested PMH, to which she said "I am the daughter of a virgo father who was VERY contrary in nature.. so I get that quality from him". Last night she changed that to "I have a contrary nature which I get from someone in the family. My brother is out there in the audience, so he can tell you who that one is" On Monday she said when someone shouts out a song title, she "just can't go there. It's nothing personal, but it's just my nature.. I have to go the total opposite direction, I'm trying to improve upon that quality". At that point, I felt compelled to you shout "Anything BUT Poor Man's House".. and immediately she went into the song. Pretty neat, huh? :-) last night at the Birchmere, someone else did the same thing I did on Monday, but substituted PMH with Tony. Patty replied with, "someone tried that line the other night too.." LOL Dave raises his hand *that was me!!! that was me!!!* Tom did an excellent review, the only 2 things I can really add is that Patty looked absolutely elegant last night. If any of the ladies would like to describe her dress that she was wearing, Wow! I can't remember a time that she was so radiant, so beautiful. The other thing is right before she went off for the encore, I did my chiming in with wanting to hear Top of The World. THAT is what she finally ended her encore with, I was so ecstatic! When Patty announced she was going to end with "Top of The World", a LOUD shriek came out from somewhere just right of the stage (facing it). I can only imagine that the shriek came from another MM'er. Very cute, Patty seemed pretty amused. Anyone going to fess up? Great show last night! The only thing that could be better is if she decided to further enchant me with a killer version of WE ARE WATER tonight at the Keswick! That is seriously doubtful, as most of her current live favorites seem to be a bit more tragic love stories, and she hasn't played We Are Water in how long now!?!? Please Patty, Please!?!?!? Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 11:06:02 EDT From: FlamingRed74@aol.com Subject: MM: Stage presence, et al Ok guys, There has been a lot of griping lately. While I agree with what someone said about not having absolute blind faith in an artist, some of this is just absurd. Someone mentioned stage presence the other day. I've been on the road seeing Patty, so I apologize for not getting to this sooner, b/c this is a subject that's been brought up on this list for years. I'm not sure what people want out of her here. She sings songs that are of the deepest in meaning to her. What makes Patty so special, and what has ALWAYS made her more special than most artists is the passion in which she sings while she's on stage. You can clearly see that the songs have a deeper meaning to her than that of most artists when they're singing their own material. Patty's emotion & songwriting then carries over to the fans, who either feel those things through her, or feel they've actually lived those things themselves (in some cases they have). Do you people want her to start choreographing moves, like the shooting fist to the sky during a dramatic moment (ala Celine Dion)? Or would it be better if she hopped around to a pre-arranged dance while singing "Ruby's Arms"? Pretty ridiculous I must say. Wouldn't this kind of pre-meditated behavior ultimately distract from the very thing that sets Patty Griffin apart from everyone else? Everyone here knows that Patty is quite a shy person. The only reason she didn't get into the music business at an early age was the fear of performing in front of crowds. Over the years she has grown more and more comfortable up there, and has gotten much more at ease with openly discussing things with audience members. Sure, she doesn't always say the "perfect thing", and does not always fill every gap between every song with some nonsense talk like some artists... but I'll take Patty's raw, honest show over the slicky-slick of some acts any day. There are many artists that won't even talk individually with a member of the audience, so I find this to be a special quality in Patty's stage "presence". I've discussed her cold, the MM list, squirrels and other "wildlife" outside a small Pennsylvania hotel, her middle name, etc.. with her while she's been performing. Something that would be impossible with most any other artist. About 1,000 Kisses. I tend to agree that when compared with her other efforts, it does tend to give you a more one-sided look into the overall talent of Patty. The comparison of Chief as a weak version of Poor Man's House just leaves me confused?? Would someone care to explain how these 2 songs are at all similar? Overall, I love the CD. I have not begun to skip over any tracks, nor do I foresee that happening any time soon. Some of the highlights for me are Rain (of course), Long Ride Home, and Stolen Car.. but to me, Nobody's Crying is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I DO feel that when done solo (or with Buddy Miller as in Nashville circa '97), it is a notch above the 1,000 Kisses version, but the CD version is still f'ing amazing! Just some of my thoughts about the recent rumblings. Dave ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 11:16:03 -0400 From: Greg Smith Subject: Re: MM: Patty at the Somerville Theater Not to open old wounds, but hearing all of these show reviews with the extensive set lists again has me thinking about how short that first Joe's Pub night was. I am sure it was mentioned on here (my computer-fogged brain can't remember), but was the second Joe's Pub gig as short? Last night TRIO showed Patty on Sessions at West 54th. I check the listing every time the show is on with the hopes of catching Tom Waits (though I am not even sure he did one) or Chocolate Genius or, of course, Patty and last night it finally paid off!! She did rocking versions of Flaming Red and Silver Bell that were both so damn aggressive! Shame they only showed a half hour... Greg ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V6 #174 *********************************