Steel Kaleidoscopes

Rock Star: INXS

OK, so it's not American Idol. Nothing can take the place of the acerbic Simon Cowell chastizing America's music-aspirational youth week after week.

But Rock Star:  INXS is a viable summer guilty pleasure. They're down to six singers, and it's clear that Mig will win the whole thing, earning the chance to record and tour as the frontman for a revitalized INXS.

Last night Mig was the best of the bunch, by far, soaring through "Live and Let Die" with authority. His vocals were dead on and he hit the tough notes with room to spare. The fact that he's from Australia sits heavily in his favor, as INXS hails from Down Under.

Second-best was Suzie, doing justice to an edited-down Bohemian Rhapsody (a la Constantine). Jordis made up for a terrible performance last week with a melodic "Imagine."  And Marty, an early favorite to win the whole thing, was mediocre at best with Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here."

Getting the boot tonight will likely be Ty, who did just OK with "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or J.D., who gave an unmemorable performance of Elvis' "Suspicious Minds."

Since INXS band members make the final call, my guess is that Ty is history. He's just not right for the band, INXS.

Katrina Bloggers

In the midst of a devastating hurricane, some Gulf Coast residents find the time to blog. Here's a sampling:

MetroBlogging: New Orleans

John's Online Journal

Kaye's Hurricane Katrina Blog

LostRemote

Katrina and the Waves

God bless New Orleans today.

The Eiffel Tower

The sun sets on another summer day in Paris.

Photo courtesy of Carol Christiana.

You Talkin' To Me?

The night owl is a little grumpy this morning.

Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile

Fresh-baked bread is seemingly everywhere, in bistro windows and tucked snugly in grocery bags. The smell of strong, dark coffee wafts into the tight, narrow street, a percolating reminder to embrace life in this dusty city, to chase romance and to follow the dream.

Brilliant-colored pastries with peaches are a stark, appetizing contrast to the porcelain white plates, perhaps not the most appropriate complement to the glass of chilled Muscadet, but matching food with wine can be exhausting and pretentious.

The stale smell of tobacco lingers in the air, the sound of an accordion the evening's soundtrack amid the percussion of echoing footsteps. In the shadow of Notre Dame and in the wake of the Seine, this is the passion of Paris.

Boston Media Clueless

Enough already with the obnoxious spider-woman who fell from the Fenway rafters.

The Boston media is out of control this week.  So some loser fell from the rafters. This happens all the time at concerts. Why is this the lead story three nights running and the topic of nearly every radio talk show?

This woman is getting more publicity than "Spider-Man 2."

This really spun out of control when NESN, a sports station, included a report on the falling woman in its sports coverage. Huh? This is like the Weather Channel mentioning the BTK killer trial in its extended forecast for the Plains states.

My guess is that the rafter woman gives the media an excuse to prolong the hype that the overrated Rolling Stones are playing Fenway Park. Who cares? It's a concert. The Rolling Stones and the falling woman are getting more play than the Democratic National Convention.

There has to be other stories, people. Find them. Cover them. This is what you're paid to do.

There was a concert. A woman fell. Ho-hum.

Send her a get-well card and get on with your lives.

Up, Up and Away

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
We could float among the stars together, you and I.

For we can fly.
We can fly!
Up, up and away, my beautiful, my beautiful balloon.

The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon.
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon.
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky.

For we can fly.
We can fly!
Up, up and away, my beautiful, my beautiful balloon.

Suspended under a twilight canopy
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us.
If by some chance you find yourself loving me,
We'll find a cloud to hide us, keep the moon beside us.

Love is waiting there in my beautiful ballon.
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon.
If you'll hold my hand, we'll chase your dream across the sky.

For we can fly.
We can fly!
Up, up and away, my beautiful, my beautiful balloon.

-- Lyrics by Jimmy Webb, recorded by The Fifth Dimension

Eugene DeCamillis

Nearly 30 years ago, Eugene DeCamillis was my social studies teacher.

My friends and I used to make fun of him because he talked in a girlie voice.

This past weekend, my brother told me he was at a barbecue with Eugene DeCamillis and that his lawn chair gave out and he fell flat on his back. He was OK.

So that was our Eugene DeCamillis update.

Former teachers don't fade away. But sometimes they embarrass themselves at barbecues.

Rolling Stones at Fenway

So the Rolling Stones are coming to Fenway this weekend.

Big deal.

The Stones have always been a good house band. A party band. But they are overrated.

What the Stones have going for them is longevity. Gotta give them credit. Any band that's been recording and touring for more than 40 years deserves a tip of the hat. No question.

But when it comes to British rock, there is one elite band that stands taller than the others. The Who, by far, are superior in every aspect to the Stones but never have come close to the media glare bestowed on the Stones.

Pete Townshend can write circles around Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The Who's song structures, lyrics and ethereal spirit are unmatched. How can the Stones even answer to groundbreaking efforts like "Quadrophenia" and "Tommy"? They can't.

Townshend's solo work transcends anything Jagger or Richards have tried to accomplish on their own. Listen to "Psychoderelict" a few times and you'll see why Townshend is one of the world's most talented rock visionaries.

Are the Stones legendary? Absolutely. Have they contributed golden nuggets to the world's music catalog? No question.  But they haven't had a relevant album in 20 years. Neither have The Who, but the media isn't embarrassingly gushing over The Who when they make their occasional stop at Great Woods.

It's chic to worship the Stones. The media plays them up full throttle whenever they come to town. The legendary house band has longevity and has created a soundtrack for several generations. But they're not that good. And they're certainly not The Who.

Enjoy the music. Just don't be fooled that you're seeing the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band.

That honor belongs to The Who.