SPAZ reviews THE AMBASSADORS OF HOLLYWOOD

THE AMBASSADORS OF HOLLYWOOD

DVD

9.20.11

     If you’ve ever been a tourist in a strange, but exciting city (and I’m sure most of you have), then you’ve seen them in practically every tourist town in America, from theme parks to fried chicken stands: average people dressing up as famous cartoon and movie characters, enchanting the kids and posing for pictures with the family.  Most of the time, these ‘characters’ are minimum wage employees sponsored by local businesses and theme parks with the sole intention of entertaining patrons. . 

     If you walk down

Hollywood Boulevard

, you are likely to come across a myriad of these costumed characters along the way, especially in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater.  Often times, these may be the first people to greet tourists as they take their inaugural stroll through one of the most famous cities in the world. For better or worse, these are the unofficial ‘Ambassadors Of Hollywood’.

     From Elmo to Batman, Snow White to Captain Jack Sparrow, these ‘characters’ that mingle with hundreds if not thousands of people daily are not employed by the city of Hollywood or any of the businesses that line the street. They work strictly on tips and this most likely is their only source of income. While some of the faces behind the masks are out of work actors and comedians waiting until their next paying gig, most of them are homeless and, in many cases, emotionally unstable. Welcome to Hollywood!

     In Ambassadors Of Hollywood, filmmakers Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt take an intimate and often-times uncomfortable look at the real people behind these characters. From a troubled, semi-racist ex-con to a former Wall Street banker, each and every one of the film’s subjects is fascinating. Even though a few of them are as down-to-earth and likable as anyone you could meet, there are a handful of them that probably should not be allowed to mix with the general public at all. Some of these misguided miscreants have uncontrollable tempers while others are aggressively seeking money for their next fix.  The reason that Ambassadors Of Hollywood is so successful is that it takes an unbiased look at each of the individuals and leaves judgment up to the viewer.

     While there have been similar films made about this very subject, including the excellent Confessions Of A Superhero, this is a film that offers up a gritty, humorous sometimes disturbing but always fascinating glimpse into these seemingly innocent characters and the real people behind them.

     Growing up, almost every kid has a dream to become a rich and famous celebrity, but at some point, we’ve all abandoned those dreams and pursued more realistic goals. In Ambassadors Of Hollywood, we meet a group of people who have never given up on their dreams although society has all but given up on them. The film manages to show a darker, but still hopeful, side of the American Dream that we all can relate to.  While some may seem delusional on the surface, if you look hard enough, you will notice that they have never lost hope that their big break is just around the next corner.  And perhaps it is…

     In many ways, Ambassadors Of Hollywood is a reflection of life in any town. From the once-successful to the ne’er do well, these are the same types of people that you meet every single day. The only difference is these guys and gals are wearing costumes! 

THE MOTELS/Apocalypso (The Lost 1981 Album): Available on August 9th, 2011

THE MOTELS

APOCALYPSO

(The Lost 1981 Album)

CD

VINYL LP

8.9.11

Los Angeles, CA - Omnivore Recordings has announced they will officially release The Motels' legendary, lost 1981 album Apocalypso on August 9 in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its recording. Apocalypso will be released in its intended original form as a 10-track LP (on limited-edition orange vinyl). In addition, Omnivore Recordings will release Apocalypso as an expanded 17-track CD version that includes previously unissued original demos and outtakes.

In 1981, Los Angeles band The Motels convened to record the follow-up to their 1980 release Careful. The band's lineup consisted of Martha Davis (vocals/guitar), Marty Jourard (sax/keys), Michael Goodroe (bass), Brian Glascock (drums), and Davis' then boyfriend, Tim McGovern (guitar), who had recently replaced founding member Jeff Jourard.

"So it was" says Davis, "a band, on their third attempt to gain some commercial success in the U.S. A relationship quantified by music and qualified by its abusive nature-and of course there was the Art, that most magical place of expression-'tear down the walls,' 'piss in the face of tradition,' 'make something no one has ever heard before'-and in the '80s there were a lot of drugs, which might explain all of the above. We did as all bands do-locked ourselves away in a room with a tape machine and started making demos, a heady, wonderful experience, where we made up the rules. Tim's influence and command over the process is not to be overlooked."

"On the last day of March we met with producer Val Garay at his Record One studio in Sherman Oaks," recalls Marty Jourard. "After listening to a couple of the songs on the cassette, he immediately agreed to produce the album. He was coming off a huge success with 'Bette Davis Eyes' and was the hot producer of the month. In my recollection it was Tim making most of the production decisions and Val engineering, but opinions may vary. We recorded from April to August. On July 23rd the album cover was shot. It was fun watching Martha being photographed surrounded by fire. The final album session was August 9th from 1 p.m. to 7 a.m.-we drank a lot of coffee!-recording overdubs for 'Art Fails.' We were done."

"When we were convinced we had amassed the perfect collection of what were obvious hits or at least great album tracks, we went to the label," says Davis.

As Capitol A&R man Bruce Ravid recalls, "having cosigned the band, I was one of the A&R guys who thought that this album was 'too strange, too dark, and where's the single?' It was very much a Tim McGovern record that seemed like too great a departure for The Motels. This was a crucial release for the band, as we knew we needed to get them on radio in a big way. There was an unusual amount of love for The Motels at Capitol from the day we signed them, and we really needed consensus from the promotion, sales, and marketing people downstairs. It's true, our promotion execs didn't feel they had a shot with Apocalypso. We dreaded the thought of telling the band they needed to return to the well."

"When Capitol heard the album the reaction was something like, 'We'll release it if you really want us to, but the promotion department will not work it,' says Davis.

Davis sums up what happened next: "After the bruising of egos, and some time to reflect, it was apparent that this was actually a good thing. It was long past time for Tim and I to part ways and this was the opportunity to get out of a bad relationship. So Tim was gone and with him the album Capitol didn't want to release."

The resulting album All Four One was released in 1982 as The Motels' official third studio record and was the band's first commercial success, featuring the timeless "Only The Lonely," which would go Top 10 on the Billboard charts; the subsequent video would become a staple of rotation on the burgeoning music television network MTV.

"With the hindsight that only 30 years can bring, I hear Apocalypso as a sort of wild sonic ride," says Jourard. "All Four One was our first real commercial success, but it was born of these sessions."

"All Four One came out, and we had our first real chart success in the U.S.-we were mainstream, baby...But something was lost with Apocalypso, the album that got away," says Davis. "I look at it as the last time The Motels were uninhibited, wild, and not worried about our place on the charts. In my heart, I think I've always liked Apocalypso more."

Apocalypso track list:

1) Art Fails *

2) Tragic Surf

3) Only The Lonely

4) Schneekin'

5) So L.A.

6) Apocalypso *

7) Mission Of Mercy

8) Lost But Not Forgotten

9) Who Could Resist That Face *

10) Sweet Destiny *

Bonus Tracks

11) Art Fails (alternate version) *

12) Don't You Remember (4-track demo) *

13) Tragic Surf (4-track demo) *

14) Fiasco (4-track demo) *

15) Obvioso (4-track demo) *

16) Only The Lonely (4-track demo) *

17) Only The Lonely (TV Mix - hidden track) *

(*) previously unissued track

An EXCLUSIVE Interview with CHRIS SQUIRE from YES!

YES, Indeed:

An EXCLUSIVE Interview

with  CHRIS SQUIRE

By Stephen SPAZ Schnee

In one form or another, Yes has been creating music for over four decades. In the late ‘60s, they were an underground band with a unique sound, but it wasn’t until the early ‘70s that the band achieved massive worldwide success. Perhaps more than any other band from that era, Yes wrote the Progressive Rock rulebook and every Prog band that followed in their wake took inspiration from them.

When Punk came along in the late ‘70s and attempted to destroy the popularity of bands like Yes, the headstrong Progsters may have lost the attention and adulation of the always-fickle press, they never lost the dedication of their fanbase. Even when vocalist Jon Anderson and keyboardist Rick Wakeman left the fold, the band bounced back in 1980 with the album Drama featuring vocalist Trevor Horn and keyboardist Geoff Downes (both of Synthpop duo The Buggles) in their place. While the band disintegrated shortly after that, they weren’t gone long before a new line-up emerged with their most successful album yet, the Trevor Horn-produced 90125, which included the massive hit “Owner Of A Lonely Heart”.

Since then, the band have continued to evolve with slightly different line-ups and fresh, new approaches to their sound. In 2008, Jon Anderson experienced respiratory issues and the band’s touring plans were put on ice. After realizing that they may not be able to tour with Anderson, a replacement was sought and vocalist Benoit David, formerly of Yes tribute band Close To The Edge, fit the bill.

With the line-up of bassist Chris Squire, guitarist Steve Howe, drummer Alan White, vocalist Benoit David and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick), the band entered the studio with producer Trevor Horn and began work on their first studio album in 10 years, Fly From Here. Soon after recording began, Wakeman left the band and was replaced by Geoff Downes. While this line-up was practically a recreation of the Drama-era version of the band, many fans were expecting an album that picked up where that album left off. But Fly From Here is certainly no carbon copy of that album. Instead, this project takes elements from all periods of Yes’ career and creates a fresh and exciting new beast altogether. It is most definitely a Yes album and contains all the elements that fans have come to love, but it’s also an album that stands well on its own and has the potential to attract a new generation of listeners. Simply put, Fly From Here is their best album in years.

Stephen SPAZ Schnee was able to catch up with Chris Squire, who was kind enough to discuss the new album and so much more…

SPAZ: Fly From Here is just about ready to drop. How are you feeling about the album and Yes’ musical journey thus far?

CHRIS SQUIRE: Feeling very good. We’re all extremely happy about how the album turned out. All the interviews I’ve done with people who have heard it, they’ve all been very positive. So, everything seems good.

SPAZ: Fly From Here is the first studio album in 10 years. What inspired the band to record the album now, as opposed to getting things together a few years ago?

CHRIS: Yeah, our last studio album was in 2001, the Magnification album, which was with an orchestra. After that was released, we spent the next two or three years pretty much going around, promoting it with various orchestras, in different parts of the world. So, a couple of years go by quite easily like that. Then Jon Anderson started to have problems with his respiratory system and his voice, so we laid low for awhile to see how that would all pan out. We were planning to go back on the road when he felt good in 2008. Just before we started rehearsing for the tour, he had another attack, unfortunately, so we had to make a decision at that point to get Benoit (David, vocalist) into the band. Of course, we spent the next couple of years going on the road making sure that Benoit was the right man for the job, getting him up to speed with the whole touring experience, etc. Then we decided that it was time to do a new album, so we started working on that. By the time we got ‘round to going into the studio, it was nearly 10 years since the last one! It certainly wasn’t intentional.

SPAZ: The album has that classic Yes sound, yet is also very much a modern-sounding album.

CHRIS: When you say ‘modern’, you mean sonically?

SPAZ: Yes, sonically, which is probably due to Trevor’s production, but the album does not sound ‘dated’ at all. It sounds completely new and fresh, musically.

CHRIS: Yeah.

SPAZ: Did you purposely try to fit the best of both worlds into the album, or did this all fall together organically?

CHRIS: I think more organic. Usually, in my experience, the outcome of any album is a combination of all the people involved in making it, starting, obviously with the music and singing. But then it goes beyond that because we were working with Trevor again and he has his own team of people that he’s been working with. He’s very current with modern recording techniques. So we definitely wanted to make the music itself be organic and we definitely wanted to play everything as opposed to having machines building the tracks up, which of course, is common place more than not these days. We wanted to get the element of a real band playing. We added the benefit of modern equipment to that as well. It does come out feeling like a modern sounding record and Trevor’s team did a great job at that.

SPAZ: Geoff Downes was a late addition to the line-up. Did it take much convincing to get him involved with the project?

CHRIS: Not really. It was a late decision. We’d already started making the album. Oliver Wakeman (keyboardist) was involved. It just came to a certain point when Trevor Horn decided that he did want to be involved in the production of the WHOLE album… Originally, we were just going to be working on the one song with him, but that seemed to go so well that we carried on doing more with Trevor. He said “If that’s the case, I think you guys will make a better record with Geoff.” Not that there’s anything wrong with Oliver Wakeman’s playing at all. He just thought the flavor that Geoff brings with his style and his keyboard sounds was going to help us to make a better record. I’ve always enjoyed working with Geoff, so we agreed to go and do it that way.

SPAZ: Your vocal turn on “The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be” is amazing. How did you come about doing that track and why not sing lead on more of the album’s tracks?

CHRIS: That tune is the one song that I actually completely wrote 100%. When I was in London in 2007, I was doing a lot of writing and that was one of the songs that I wrote during that period of time. Then I made this album with Steve Hackett called The Squackett Album, which hasn’t been released yet even though it’s been finished for a year. That was one of the songs that was supposed to go on that album, but we didn’t really need it because we had plenty of other material. So I put it forward as a suggestion for the Yes album. We did do a version with Benoit singing, actually, in a higher key because that suited his voice better. But Trevor decided that it would be better if I sang it, so we went along with that.

SPAZ: That was a great decision by Trevor because, in my opinion, it’s one of the highpoints of the album.

CHRIS: Thank you very much!

SPAZ: While the album may be considered a ‘return to form’ by some fans and critics, does that sometimes frustrate you since Yes has always been a consistent band that evolves and changes over the years?

CHRIS: I don’t think it’s a question of going back. I mean, I know that I have a press quote out there about the album where I say I think the album represents some of Yes’ best qualities from the ‘70s and the ‘80s but, as you obviously agree, with a modern twist to it. I couldn’t really ask for anything more. To me, it does feel like a progression. It’s a very clean sounding record. This Swedish journalist said to me that it’s like the lightest record and, at the same time, the darkest record we’ve made. And think I kind of understand what he means by that. I think we’ve definitely achieved another notch in the Yes success belt.

SPAZ: The playing on the album is exceptional, but more importantly, it’s a beautiful piece of work from start to finish. Are you usually conscious of the atmosphere and beauty in your music while recording, or does it all seem to hit you afterwards?

CHRIS: I think it develops as it goes on. There’s no doubt that everyone was in a good frame of mind and enthusiastic. There wasn’t too much bickering… I mean, there’s always discussions… but generally, everyone had an attitude with a smile while we were making the record and it definitely seems to shine through in the end product.

SPAZ: You’ve been doing this a long time. Are there still moments when you listen to a playback and get chills?

CHRIS: Yes, there have been. With Trevor’s main engineer, Tim Weidner, who we’ve worked with before on the Magnification album… One day, when he’d been working on the balancing and the sounds on “The Man You Always Wanted Me To Be”, I walked into the studio and I thought, ‘Fuck that sounds really good!” (laughs).

SPAZ: Was it a conscious effort for Yes to pick up from where Drama left off in expanding upon and recording “We Can Fly From Here", given the return of Geoff & Trevor?

CHRIS: Obviously there’s gonna be an element of that because the return of Geoff. He does have a distinctive keyboard style. When he and Steve play with Yes, it seems to open up the possibilities more than their work with Asia.

SPAZ: Many fans are likely to find Fly From Here to be the most consistent Yes album in years. Are we likely to see this line-up return to the studio in the near future to try to capture a bit more lightning in the bottle?

CHRIS: Oh yeah, I sincerely hope so. The bigger mark the album leaves in a successful way, there’s a lot more chance where that could happen. So, it seems on track for that possibility.

SPAZ: After all of these years, you are still considered one of Rock’s greatest bass players. Is it humbling to know that so many people have been touched by the work you’ve done over the years?

CHRIS: Yeah, it’s definitely a great feeling. I do hear quite a lot from other musicians and I read articles where I’m cited as an influence and I’m very proud about that. Who wouldn’t be, really?

SPAZ: What’s next for Chris Squire and Yes?

CHRIS: We’re going to go out on the road for at least a few years to promote this album. I’ve also go plans for the Squackett album to come out, hopefully in the fall. It’s been already finished for a year, but we haven’t quite nailed down the schedule for releasing that yet. All I know is that between those things, I’m setting myself up to be quite busy.

SPAZ: What is currently spinning on your CD player?

CHRIS: A lot of bands I consider to be new aren’t really new anymore, like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt and bands like that that I really like. The Foo Fighters have just put out a great new album and I’m a big fan of them. Sometimes, I’ll just put on the current Top 20 urban hits. You gotta like some of Rihanna’s stuff. I don’t have any prejudices: I’ll listen to classical music, straightforward Pop…. Probably like many people my age, I’m more drawn to putting the comedy channel on over the music channels. (laughs) I will put American Idol on, things like that. I just keep an open mind.

Thanks to Chris Squire

Special thanks to Jacki Feldstein, Shawn Potter, Chris Anderson and Gayland Morris

YES

FLY FROM HERE

CD

CD + DVD

BOX SET

VINYL LP

7.12.11