Ty Watches "Holy Calamavote"

I watched the Run the Jewels show that they did on Adult Swim this weekend, "Holy Calamavote", this afternoon, and it was amazing.

This was the first, and only time, they will perform this album live this year. They had a planned tour, supporting Rage Against the Machine, but the pandemic put a total halt to that. I read things where RTJ was trying to do something like this, a live performance, but didn't have a platform, or felt comfortable enough to do it. Then Adult Swim and Ben and Jerry's got involved, and they had their chance. They got tested, quarantined for the allotted time, and were able to pull off this show. They also wanted it to be important, to take a stance and help people, and they used the platform to urge people to go out and vote. This show was put together to promote voting. They mentioned time and again how important it is, especially this year, to go out and vote. Our vote is our weapon, and that is the only way we can make things change. They put that front and center.

As for the performance, I mean come on, these guys are at the top of the game right now. They are the best rap group, and best overall group, making music right now. Not only is the music good, it is well made, important, personal and an absolute reflection of the world we live in right now. I have sung the praises of this most recent RTJ record to the high hills. This is the record of the year by a mile, and this performance only further proved that. They were awesome. The visuals were amazing. The guest list was top notch. And seeing Killer Mike and El-P perform this record live, it was so god damn amazing and impressive. They did each song, in order, from the new record. Eric Andre hosted the show, and they would cut to him from time to time, but this was all about RTJ and their music. All the songs were great, and hearing them live just adds so much more to the listening experience. DJ Nice was on stage with them during "Ooh LA LA". That was pretty cool. A famous Atlanta DJ came out and scratched during a song. Gangsta Boo came out during "Walking in the Snow", and that was a transcendent performance. I mean, the song started with that heavy guitar, and El did his verse, and then it was Killer Mike's turn. He smashed the first part, and when he got to the "I can't breath" part, the whole stage and group went silent, and then Killer Mike ended that verse acapella. It was powerful and moving and made me listen more than I ever had before to what he is saying in what I consider to be the song of the year, and possibly the generation. It was an astonishing performance. They did "JU$T" after that, and Pharrell and Zack de la Rocha did their spots. Josh Homme and Mavis Staples appeared on screen for the song they are featured on as well. Staples' voice was beautiful and haunting. They ended the show with "A Few Words for the Firing Squad", and to see the two of them bear their souls was so, so great. It was such a moving and cool and fierce and awesome and perfect way to present that song. When they were nearing the end, when the song is all horns, both members expressed the importance of voting and using our voices this election. Then El-P formed a fist and Killer Mike formed a gun to make the RTJ symbol, and the lights were on their hands only. It was so god damn cool. They proceeded to leave the stage with the secret ending that shows up at the end of "Firing Squad", and El grabbed his stuff, and both he and Killer Mike put on a mask and drove off in Killer Mike's car. They came back on to again express the importance of voting. It was truly wonderful. The show was cool, the visuals added so much, El-P and Killer Mike are damn fine performers, their music is important , the people filming were masked and kept their distance, all the while getting amazing shots, it was simply perfect.

I loved this so very much. It gave me so much of what I have missed this year. I got to see my favorite band perform live. I was moved to vote more so than I already am. I have even more respect for Michael Render and Jamie Melina, which I didn't know was possible. I got to vibe out to the best record of the year. And they did it all for a great cause. I highly recommend this special for everyone. It is available to watch everywhere, it is as live as we will get this year and it is the best music you will hear all year. Please watch and make a plan to vote. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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"RTJ4" Breakdown: Day 3

Today I am going to talk about the last three tracks on "RTJ 4", leaving tomorrow open for me to talk about why this record is so revolutionary and so important. Let's get to these tracks first.

"The Ground Below" comes in hot, with distorted instrumentation, and man does it bang. Killer Mike comes in and destroys right away, saying he is "Godzilla and we are all Tokyo". That is perfect. It says it all in 6 words. He then talks about supporting sex workers unionizing. Gosh, he is the man. Then El-P does the chorus, and he then gets a verse. He goes hard on this track. His rap style is so perfect for the music that plays over this song. It just works so perfectly. I also love when he says, "this isn't a conspiracy, but you all are against me". The song then drops off for a minute, slowing down, and then fast drums and Killer Mike comes back in, speaking so many truths, as he does this whole record. I also love how he tells us, the listeners, that they have given us all so much for free. It is true and I love him for that. This song starts fast, slows down for about 15 seconds, then finishes with a deafening boom. There is so much heat packed into a less than three minute song. RTJ have become masters of doing that.

The next track, "Pulling the Pin" features Josh Homme, from Queens of the Stone Age, on drums, and Mavis Staples on backing vocals. Those 2 are a get, especially Staples. To get Mavis Staples on a track, that shows importance, fame, influence and attention they've garnered over 4 records now. That is an achievement. The song happens to rule as well. Homme's drumming adds a very cool layer to the music. I also really like the ominous beat that is attached. It is slowed down for a purpose, and El-P comes on first, almost speaking directly to us rather than rapping. It is awesome. The stuff he says is very profound too. This is his Killer Mike, his Jordan moment. He shines on this first verse. I find myself going back to this song a lot more lately just to listen to the lyrics. To study them a bit. And after his verse is when Staples comes in, and just hearing her voice is a treat. Then Killer Mike comes in and does that super fast lyricism, but it is understandable and the words hold weight. He then slows it down and really shines through. He is so good on this record, and I feel like he is cementing himself as one of the best emcees of all time. In fact, both him and El-P are climbing up the rankings as best rappers in the game right now, and forever. Staples then finishes the song off, and it is great. She is one of the all time greats, one of the classic singers of all time.

The final song, "A Few Words for the Firing Squad(Radiation)", reminds me a lot of "A Message to the Shareholders/Kill Your Masters", off of "RTJ 3". It starts off with a repetitive guitar that gets louder throughout. Then El-P starts off the song, and much like the track before, he is so smooth with this slower beat. When the saxophone comes in, that just adds a whole other layer to their music. It shows growth, and a want to try new things from RTJ. I love it. Then Killer Mike comes in with a very personal story about his mom's passing. It is painful and sad and, for anyone that has experienced loss, it is relatable. He then talks about how people want him to become a voice for change, but how his wife wants a husband and not another martyr. I love when artists get personal as I said yesterday. Then El-P does his thing again, and Killer Mike does as well with the second verse. They both come at you hard in what is their final verse of the album. Both personal, both telling it like it is and both crushing. The song then drops for a minute, and we get strings, with that guitar, except really slow. Then sound explodes, and the saxophone is put on full display. It is very cool, and they let the listener sit in this for about a minute. The album then totally drops, you may think it is over, but then a narrator of sorts comes on and gives a very cool speech about the two of them over a dope beat. The song has a little chorus of "yankee and the brave", and the album is over. It is perfect.

I love, love, love this record and all the songs. I will get fully into detail tomorrow, but it still needs to be said today. "RTJ 4" is a god damn work of art, and we really, really need it right now.

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Greatest American Band Debate: Iggy and the Stooges

For the greatest American band debate today, I'm going to nominate the one, and only, punk rock group that I have legitimately liked. The problem with punk rock music, at least in America, it becomes too watered down and begins to sound emo when a decent punk group gets some fame. There are too many to list, but I bet the readers know exactly what I'm talking about. In all fairness, the best punk groups come from the UK. There is no denying this, it is a statement of fact. But, Iggy and the Stooges made American punk music cool for their run as a band.

Iggy and the Stooges were the only punk group I heard and was immediately in to. I know some people will try to tell me that the Ramones were punk, they were not, they were rock and pop. The Stooges were punk. Even when they first formed and did some psychedelic stuff, it still sounded punk rockish, at least to me. And, it was mainly because of their phenomenal front man, Iggy Pop. I knew that I was going to be into Iggy and the Stooges before I listened to them, because they are from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Not only were they from the greatest state in the US, but they were from the greatest college town of all time. I was destined to like them.

I do have to say, the way I first heard of the Stooges was from a Black Keys EP where they covered their song, "No Fun". I loved the Black Keys version, so, combined with the fact that they were from Ann Arbor and my all time favorite band was covering their songs, I had to check them out. They did not disappoint. Their self titled debut record, while not commercially successful, is a very, very good album. they have some of the psychedelic stuff going on, but it is mostly straight up punk guitar and bass riffs, fast paced drums and Iggy Pop performing these songs with his signature gruff style. I think the record is very good. They may have come off as weird when they released it in the early 70's, but it still holds up today. I'd much rather listen to this album than anything the Ramones have ever released.

A couple of years later, they released their second record, "Fun House". After the release of "Fun House", that was when the Stooges got the critical acclaim. It was a straight forward punk record with classic song after classic song. During the tour after the release of "Fun House" was also when the band got into heroin and their live shows became a thing of legend. Heroin is so nasty, I assume, and it seems like every band from the 70's tried it at one time or another, but it wasn't the drugs that made them great. The live shows was were it was at, and yes, I'm sure heroin had something to do with what made these shows so epic. They used to tour with another great American band, that will surely get their due on the site soon, MC5, and the shows are still talked about today. This was when Iggy Pop would do crazy stuff like cut himself with broken glass, rub food stuffs and other things all over his shirtless body, the band was always playing incredible stuff and, during these live shows, that was when Iggy Pop supposedly created stage diving. I don't know if it is true or not, but the fact that a lot of people credit him with creating this, I mean, how cool is that. Stage diving has become commonplace now, but imagine being there when it first happened. You have to have a crowd that is really into your music, so much so that they are willing to hold you up when you dive into a sea of fans. I love that Iggy Pop is the supposed creator, because who else could it really be. Iggy Pop is so believable as the man that invented stage diving.

After many epic live shows and many problems with hard drugs, the band all got sober and released their third, and final record as the traditional Stooges, "Rough Power". They recorded this album with David Bowie, who had become good friends with Pop, as the producer. The album is hit or miss, with most of the criticism being thrown Bowie's way for over producing, but it is still an okay record. You can definitely hear Bowie's fingerprints all over this record.

The band broke up for the final time after "Rough Power". Pop has gone on to do wonderful things as a solo artist. He has worked with many great musicians and producers, guys like Brian Burton and Josh Homme, and has had a lot of success. Pop is the undeniable star of this great group, but I cannot end this blog without mentioning how great the Asheton Brothers, Ron and Scott were. They were both just as important to the Stooges sound and uprising as one of the greatest punk rock groups ever. They have since passed, as has everyone else that was first involved with the Stooges, but Iggy Pop is still plugging along.

I also cannot end until I name some of the great bands that the Stooges influenced. I already mentioned the Black Keys, but other bands like Sonic Youth, Rage Against the Machine, REM, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the late great Kurt Cobain have all said that the Stooges were big influences, and they have all covered them, one way or another. The Stooges were finally, after 7 tries, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. It was a longtime coming.

Look, I will be forever grateful to the Stooges for showing me that punk rock can be good. It doesn't have to be simplistic and the singer doesn't have to scream into a mic or be emo. You can be yourself and make great music, which the Stooges did. They are more than worthy to be called one of America's greatest bands.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Who do you think the Greatest American Band is? Come tell us all about it. Also, follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.