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1998'S BEST MOMENTS IN MUSIC by Alyssa Isenstein A blind man's version of the Beatles' "Yesterday" on a bus in Guadalajara on a warm September afternoon. Hefner's album Breaking God's Heart. Freakwater and Richard Buckner at Satyricon. Rock-A-Teens at EJ's. Tito Puente at the Crystal Ballroom. Opening band Fuck's applause sign for Sonic Youth at the Roseland. 16 Horsepower at LaLuna Balcony. My first country line-dancing lesson at Rockin' Rodeo in Eugene. My sister's version of "What Would You Do with a Drunken Sailor?" on the autoharp. The official soundtrack to my 1995 Toyota Tercel: the words and music of Belle and Sebastian. Smithsonian Folkways Anthology of American Folk Music--my music
collection is one step closer to godliness. Top 10 Musical Moments of 1998 (while in the car) by Bill Smith Everyone knows music sounds better in the car. There's something about the cocoon of sound and motion that puts the world in perspective. Here are my most memorable aural-auto moments of '98: 1. I'd looked for LPs by Polish jazz great Krzystof Komeda for years. I finally found his work on the Web site for a small label from Warsaw and ordered a disc. I pulled over to the curb on Northwest 23rd Avenue while listening to "Crazy Girl" for the first time. I stayed parked for the second listen. And the third. 2. Humming Ravel's Bolero on I-5 South while listening to the House impeachment proceedings. 3. Playing "The Delicate Prey," words by Paul Bowles, music by Bill Laswell, while passing an accident during the flooding outside of Centralia, Wash. 4. Listening to Mysterious Mountain by Armenian-American (Seattle) composer Alan Hovhaness, on I-84 with my wife and our favorite Armenian-American friend with Mount Hood before us. 5. Playing "That's What Dreams (Are Made For)" by San Francisco's great Green on Red, while stopped in traffic during my morning commute 6. Listening to a Gaelic station while driving a rental car through Connemara National Park, County Galway, Republic of Ireland, on the clearest day of my life 7. Listening to Tom Waits' "(We're All Gonna Be) Dirt in the Ground" on election day while driving through the University of Oregon campus. 8. Hearing Sibelius's Violin Concerto on KBPS after I'd just got through listening to it in my apartment minutes before. 9. Coming across Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" on a Philadelphia radio station while driving through lovely Camden, N.J. 10. Catching Sonic Youth's "Dear Prudence" coming from a cabbie's
window as MY NICE YEAR IN MUSIC by Caryn B. Brooks I saw many nice things in music this year. On July 3 I saw Sleater-Kinney at LaLuna. The band played songs from its upcoming 1999 release. The new songs were really, really good. That night was nice. I saw the Need play at EJ's. I asked them to play "American Woman" and they did. It rocked. And they were nice. I bought Lil' Kim's Hard Core. There's a song on it with a chorus that goes "Dreams of fuckin' an R&B dick." It was nasty. Listening to the record, I thought about the awesome video Lil' Kim did with Puff Daddy this year for the song "All About the Benjamins." The video takes place at a prom. After being swayed by the music, Lil' Kim pulls off her prom dress. Underneath she's wearing this dominatrix outfit. That was nice. I went to New York City. It was nice. I saw a play called Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It's a rock opera, kinda. The songs were rad. The story was cool. One guy in the band was wearing a Rent shirt, and that was funny. I also went to a club called Squeezebox. A drag queen called Jackie Beat did a deadpan version of Radiohead's "Karma Police" with the Squeezebox band. That was so nice. I drove around in my car all happy because I got to listen to new and very nice records by the Spinanes, Rakim, Liz Phair, the Beastie Boys and Lucinda Williams. All in all 1998 was a very nice year, music-wise. The end. THE YEAR IN HIP-HOP by H.V. Claytor Jr. Cappadonna of the Wu Tang Clan said 1997 was "the year born God," a reawakening of consciousness within the Hip-Hop Nation following the tragic loss of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace. A period of introspection made clear the need to teach the babies coming up how to live, and peace was manifest during the nine-eight. Headz responded with open arms, packing various Portland venues to watch Goodie Mob, E-40, Big Baby Jesus and PoH-Hop's strictly local lineup wreck the mic piece. There were no incidents of violence at the shows, even when OutKast brought Tribe's song "Rap Promoter" to life by being tardy for a set--a for-sure reason to start wildin' back in the day. Hip-hop artists from the East, West, South and Midwest collaborated like crazy on the mic, unifying the innovators, thugs, dance hall generals and lyricists of hip-hop music to make 1998 a memorable year in the evolution of the art form. The culture became so strong that its power was felt throughout the entertainment industry. The NBA will have two No Limit soldiers represented on the court now that Master P has signed Ron Mercer and Derek Anderson to his latest endeavor, sports management. Def Jam Records was the cream of the hip-hop crop in '98, with dope releases by DMX, Jay-Z, Method Man and the Rush Hour soundtrack finding a home in Billboard's top spots. Producers and MCs from other labels were also influential. Witchdoctor's heavenly hymns, Jermaine Dupri's crunk, booty-shakin' production, the savageness of M.O.P. and Daz Dillinger's ridin' music showed the world the many facets of hip-hop. And with the year closing out with dope, dope-ass albums by Redman, Juvenile and that fool Busta Rhymes, hip-hop will continue to saturate the commercial market in 1999. The truth of the phrase "hip-hop, ya' don't stop" is coming to light
as we near the end of the century, and for those of us in the Hip-Hop
Nation, it's the most beautifulest thing in the world. Hey, peace to
you and yours in the nine-double, and remember--love is love. LIZ BROWN SAYS: I haven't been myself since being forced to listen to the Donny Osmond Christmas album a couple of weeks back, but here are a few show highlights I've managed to piece together despite my clouded mental state: Calexico and the Dirty Three at Berbati's Pan: Joey Burns and John Convertino treated Portlanders to a sparse, incredible show at Satyricon. Come to think of it, I hardly remember the Dirty Three's set. Chris Whitley at Berbati's Pan: This avant-blues extraordinaire amazes me every time.
Lyle Lovett at Arlene Schnitzer: Witnessing (from the second row at the Schnitz) the charming and classy Lovett backed by his musically eloquent band made for an incredible evening. Cheap Trick at the Crystal Ballroom: Racing from Lyle Lovett to get to the Cheap Trick show was an adrenaline rush unlike any other. The rock heroes played all the classics, and "Southern Girls" was reason to throw myself into the crowd like an adolescent fool (despite Art Alexakis' annoying usurpation of the mike). Blonde Redhead at the Crystal Ballroom: Any band featuring twin Italian brothers gets my attention. The energy and attitude in Blonde Redhead's urban noise held it at this packed show. Elliott Smith and Quasi at LaLuna: Duh. Magic Fingers at Satyricon: Seeing former Swoon 23 guitarist Spike Keating as Jimmy Page on Halloween (complete with double-necked guitar) topped off an impressive first show for the Portland up-and-comers. The Gigantics at the 1201: Members of Sunset Valley and Joy
Pop Turbo played a slew of Pixies covers on the 1201's microscopic stage,
to the delight of costumed fans.
WHAT I SEEM TO REMEMBER ABOUT MUSIC, 1998 AD by John "I'm not a drunk, really" Graham 1. Shane MacGowan, Oaks Park: On the way there, our intoxicated troupe sees a rainbow, spies an eagle and hops a train. The way back is less clear: I black-out everything after "jogoing" (a bizarre jig/pogo amalgam) to "Dirty Old Town." I'm sure it was swell. 1a. The Pogues, my friend's car: After a stunning day of hiking in the Gorge, then gorging on pizza, cheap movies and beer, we recklessly cruise Portland while shouting the songs from Rum Sodomy and the Lash at quizzically sober passersby. (Note: We're professional stunt drivers; do not attempt this yourself.) 2. Firewater, EJ's: Depressed klezmer anti-party tunes tinged with misanthropy and the taste of bourbon. Brilliant. 3. San Francisco, Parts I and II: Rollerball's Shane DeLeon somehow busts his trumpet, then destroys it onstage and screams at the audience. That same night, across town, the U.S. Bombs' Duane Peters performs so violently that he knocks himself out, breaks his ribs and doesn't miss a single vocal cue.
5. Elliott Smith, the Oscars: Sad man-child in white suit shares a stage with the evil airbrushed queens of contemporary pop. Andre Breton smiles in his grave. 6. Groovie Ghoulies, Stage 4: Repeat after me: "I will never grow up, I will never grow up, I will never grow up..."
8. AC/DC, a party: Cranking arena rawk so the soulless, fashionably bored goths will leave, then playing Dead Can Dance, Joy Division and the Cure once it's safe to have fun. 9. Subhumans, LaLuna and Murder City Devils, EJ's: After the old men school retro-tykes in the physics of passion and energy expenditure, I sprint to EJ's and catch the new tattoo kids burn up the crowd with sweat and sleaze. 10. Sarah McLachlan, the Spice Girls and Elton John, Rose Garden
Arena: Just seeing if you're paying attention.
JEFF FUCCILLO'S TOP 9 LIVE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES 1. Ghazal at the Scottish Rite Center: Iranian kamancheh player Kayhan Kalhor joined forces with Indian sitar player Shujaat Husain Khan for an evening of improvisation that transcended cultural boundaries and made the four women seated directly behind me scream as though they were at a 1960s Beatles gig. 2. Chromatic Persuaders at the New Paris Theatre: This band offered many great toy-jazz performances this year, but the one that turned into a trombone-led psychedelic circus romp stood out most of all. 3. The first half of Zakir Hussain at the Civic Auditorium: With accompaniment by an amazing sarangi master, the first section of this popular tabla players' show was stunning and beautiful. Then the lights dropped and he brought out a fusion jazz drummer and spoiled it all. 4. Loren MazzaCane Connors at Satyricon: This New York City guitarist was stunning and beautiful but resisted all temptations to go into a funky drum jam. 5. Royal Trux at EJ's: As we screamed and screamed: "WE WANT THE JUICE! WE WANT THE JUICE!" The group showed great restraint, not giving an inch while nevertheless completely rocking the house. Just when we thought they wouldn't give it to us, they busted out with a 15-minute-long version of "Juicy Juicy Juice." The most amazing moment in rock? 6. Bulgari at the Snake & Weasel: Bulgarian folk music led by a guy playing the stomach of an animal that used to graze in the countryside. 7. John Berendzen doing Bowie karoake at the Grand Avenue: "Lets dance/Put on your red shoes and dance the blues," sung by the same genius who composed the soundtrack for the excellent Liminal Productions play Jowl Movements I-IX. 8. Shubhendra Rao and Partho Sarathy at the Portland Art Museum: Throughout the year the Kalakendra organization brought fabulous Indian music and dance to Portland. This sitar and sarod performance was a definite highlight. 9. Vinny Knuckles: All part of my cat's ongoing piece titled
"The Minimalist Kitty," these brief one-chord performances were issued
on a twice-daily basis as he jumped from his favorite resting spot on
top of the piano to go to his second-favorite resting spot in front
of the fish tank. JAY SANDERS'S 1998 IN REVIEW * Inviting avant-folk hero and "get-wet boy" Eugene Chadbourne to stay at my house, only to be repaid not once but twice by: 1) a big pile of piss-laden toilet tissue all around the base of my toilet and 2) all our towels laid out on the bathroom floor with a faint, damp outline of where someone had obviously been "air drying." * Going to 94.7 FM KNRK's Barenaked Ladies house party in Milwaukie. I was slightly embarrassed--but much more amused--by the simultaneous sight of one of my friends throwing up behind contest winner "Doug's" shack-cum-dojo while another waded in the ice-packed kiddie pool in search of the precious 12-pack of Coronas provided for the event. All this to the utter curiosity and discomfort of the eager 11 am crowd. * Armed with a newfound penchant for Top-40 (and slow jams in particular), I tried to get a prospective mistress in the mood early this summer with the subtle irresistibility of what I had assumed to be this year's sure-fire aural aphrodisiac--Usher's "Nice and Slow"--only to be laughed off stage. Maybe I can't blame this failure on the song. * Best musical moment of the year: My friend Jud Ehrbar's (Space Needle/Varnaline) absolutely inspiring karaoke take on Bob Seger's "Night Moves" at the Galaxy. Second was definitely Royal Trux, times two: on record (Accelerator) and in concert. * Hearing (secondhand) an unnamed Portland radio employee exclaim to a visiting record-label representative regarding their previous night's debauchery, "Did we puff that tough?" Pure gold.
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