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Tag: Herb Alpert

  • Houston Concert Watch 9/10: Nine Inch Nails, Insane Clown Posse and More

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    After reading my colleague Bob Ruggiero’s review of the new book Giant Steps: My Improbable Journey from Stage Lights to Executive Heights, which traces the career of Derek Shulman, who went from fronting the prog rock band Gentle Giant to working as a record company executive, I got to thinking about others who have made similar career renavigations.

    While it is true that spending time in the trenches of the music biz as an artist does give a person a rare and valuable perspective regarding the business, the fact is that most musicians do not possess the skills to both perform music and negotiate a recording contract. Nor could most record company honchos confidently sit in with professional musicians. As a rule, you can either do one or the other. Kind of a left brain / right brain thing.

    There are, of course, other exceptions. One individual who comes to mind is Warren Entner. He was a member of the Grass Roots who played guitar and keyboards, additionally contributing memorable vocal parts, e.g. the bridge in “Midnight Confessions” (“There’s a little gold ring you wear on your hand…”). After the Grass Roots dried up, Entner became a manager, guiding the careers of acts like Quiet Riot, Faith No More and Rage Against the Machine.

    Trumpeter Herb Alpert maintained parallel careers as a recording artist (leader of the Tijuana Brass) and as co-owner (with Jerry Moss) of A&M Records, which was home to Peter Frampton, George Benson, the Carpenters, Soundgarden and numerous others.

    Most bands without representation have a person in the group who deals with club owners, concert promoters and the like. If that individual in your band always ensures that everyone is paid what was promised and sometimes negotiates some sort of lagniappe as well, then bask in your good fortune. That person may well have “manager” written all over him.

    Ticket Alert
    H-town rapper and hamburger magnate Bun B will present a one-off show at the House of Blues on Saturday, October 18, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of his debut solo release Trill. The show is billed as “Trill Unplugged,” meaning that the album with be “reimagined,” with special guests, live instruments and stories detailing the making of the album. A few seats remain, with plenty of tickets available on the resale market.

    It is perhaps fitting that Atlanta rapper Playboi Carti’s current tour is operating under the banner of “Antagonist.”  Carti has certainly gotten on the wrong side of many folks.  The tour was scheduled for 2023, but fates evidently conspired against it. A prime cause for the delay may have been various legal issues that Carti has been forced to deal with over the past few years. In any case, all systems seem to be “go” for Carti’s performance at Toyota Center on Thursday, November 20. Presales are in progress now, and the general sale is set for Friday.

    Austin musician Ty Myers is only 18, but he has been at it for a while, writing his first songs when he was in grade school, encouraged by his singer-songwriter father. Myers released his first album, The Select, earlier this year, achieving significant chart success. While marketed as a country artist, Myers slides in some R&B and blues influences to keep things interesting. Catch him at the 713 Music Hall on Saturday, February 7.

    Alter Bridge was formed in the early noughts when former members of Creed – guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips – joined with vocalist / guitarist Myles Kennedy. The band will release a new album early in 2026 and tour behind it next spring, stopping at the Bayou Music Center on Tuesday, April 28.

    Concerts This Week
    There are few bands with a better name than Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Not only does the group have a great name, its ranks include some major players, most notably Stuart, who developed his guitar chops backing Johnny Cash during the early ‘80s. Stuart and the Superlatives will perform tonight at the Centrum (part of the Cypress Creek Christian Community Center, though the concert is presented by Main Street Crossing), spotlighting tunes from their most recent all-instrumental album Space Junk.
    Nine Inch Nails is the name of the band, but in point of fact, the “band” is founder Trent Reznor, collaborator Atticus Ross, and whomever else they feel is necessary to fill out the sound for recordings and concerts. Sort of like a really intense Steely Dan. Though Reznor has been busy with film and television soundtracks over the past several years (The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Watchmen, Tron: Ares), it appears that he hasn’t forgotten his industrial / rock and roll roots. Reports from the current “Peel It Back” tour indicate that fans can expect plenty of signature NIN material like “Closer” and “Hurt.” Catch Reznor and company on Friday at Toyota Center.
    What’s better than a Carolyn Wonderland show at the Continental Club on a Saturday night? This weekend’s concert should be a good one, as Wonderland will do doubt be featuring a number of songs from her most recent (and most outstanding) album Truth Is in her set. Frequent Wonderland collaborator Shelley King and her trio will open.
    The hip-hop duo Insane Clown Posse has been pissing people off for over 30 years with a combination of rap, creepy clowns, questionable lyrics, professional wrestling and a propensity to engage in physical confrontations both onstage and at Waffle Houses. Not only that, the ICP faithful known as Juggalos were, at one time, viewed as a dangerous “gang” by the FBI. This all being the case, it’s bound to get wild on Sunday at the White Oak Music Hall. As the band and its fans like to say, “WOOP WOOP!”

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    Tom Richards

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  • Houston Concert Watch 8/20: Flaming Lips, The Offspring and More [UPDATED]

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    Since I have been in the broadcasting business for a number of years, I sometimes have folks ask me, “Why do radio stations keep playing the same songs over and over?” There are a number of correct answers to this question, but the primary reason is (no surprise here) “money.” At some point, many years ago, when research began driving programming decisions, many program directors sought to play songs that would keep listeners from switching to another station.

    Among PD’s (particularly those of the classic rock variety), the message was clear: don’t risk driving a single listener away by playing a song that might not be totally familiar. You’re not going to get a raise for playing more “deep cuts.”

    Which brings us to a recent survey published on the Ultimate Classic Rock website listing the top classic rock songs based on radio airplay in 2025 (so far). There were a few surprises. Number one? Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” which just edged out Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” for the top spot on the list. However, GNR can take some solace in the fact that “Sweet Child O’ Mine” was ranked at number three.

    Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith both had 15 songs in the top 500, but neither band cracked the top 10. Hell, “Black Dog” was Zep’s highest finisher at number 31. Interestingly, though, “Stairway to Heaven” came in at number 168, indicating that some songs can, in fact, be played to the point of listener fatigue.

    In the “what the hell?” category: “Carry On Wayward Son” (number 12, thanks to the “South Park” Guitar Hero episode, no doubt, or was it because it was the unofficial anthem and fan favorite for the 15 seasons of Supernatural?), “Pour Some Sugar on Me” (number 13, but it does have a strong base of support among strippers, evidently), “Don’t Stop Believin’” (number 19 – I blame you, Tony Soprano) and “Summer of ‘69” (number 24, a stinker to be sure).  In the interest of being remotely positive about Adams and his output, I suppose that “Cuts Like a Knife” isn’t so bad, but guess what?  That song didn’t even make the damn list!

    Ticket Alert
    Sue Foley, the lady with the pink paisley Telecaster, has been considered one of the best guitarists in Texas since landing in Austin during the late ‘80s. She has won a bunch of awards and released some acclaimed records, including last year’s One Guitar Woman, A Tribute to the Female Pioneers of Guitar, which was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album. Tickets are on sale now for her show at the Heights Theater on Friday, November 21.

    I’m not a fan of most Christmas music, but I will keep an open mind regarding Tower of Power and the band’s “Holiday and Hits” tour, which will stop at the House of Blues on Tuesday, December 9. If I can hear a funked-up “Jingle Bells” and “What Is Hip?” during the same show, I just might be on board with that sleigh ride. Presales are up now, and the general sale begins on Friday.

    Want more live Christmas music? Well, the Pentatonix show at Toyota Center on Saturday, December 20, might get you to ho-ho-ho-ing. The a cappella quintet will bring its “Christmas in the City” tour to H-Town during the week before holiday, and presales are now in progress, with the general sale on Friday. In the holiday spirit of giving (and because the group hails from Arlington), $1 from the price of each ticket sold will be contributed to Texas flood relief efforts.
    Randy Rogers began his musical career playing joints around central Texas, soon building a regional and then a national following while he and his band began racking up hit albums and singles. You can get the password for the presale (now in progress) through the band’s website and beat the rush before the Friday ticket sale for Rogers’ show at the 713 Music Hall on Saturday, December 13.

    Herb Alpert. Is he still alive? Not an unreasonable question, but the answer is a definite “yes.” The 90-year-old trumpet player still has his chops, and he is going on the road early next year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of his album Whipped Cream and Other Delights, which sported not only some incredibly catchy instrumentals but also a nude-but-not album cover. The presale for Alpert’s show on Saturday, January 17, at the Smart Financial Centre begins today, and the general sale is set for Friday.

    Concerts This Week
    Editor’s Note: Flaming Lips’ Houston performance was canceled because of a family emergency.

    Original story: A documentary tracking the history of the Flaming Lips called The Fearless Freaks was released some years back, and seldom has a title been more on-the-nose. Based on the early ’90 success of the single “She Don’t Use Jelly,” the band has been classified as “alternative rock,” but “alternative everything” might be a more accurate bit of nomenclature.

    Musically, these guys are like no one else, incorporating a number of diverse influences along with a preponderance of psychedelia. In terms of stage craft, the Flaming Lips have utilized all sorts of fanciful gimmicks over the years, including encasing lead singer Wayne Coyne in a large plastic bubble which allowed him to walk over audience members’ outstretched hands. The band’s current tour reunites the Lips with former touring mates Modest Mouse. Catch all the trippiness tonight at the 713 Music Hall.
    Whipping a quick 180, let’s consider Dale Watson, who is about as hardcore country as a guy can get. After spending his early years in North Carolina, in 1977 Watson’s family moved to Pasadena, where he began playing in honky-tonks as a teenager. He soon relocated to Los Angeles, where he secured a spot in the house band at the Palomino Club, which became ground zero for alt-country. Since then, Watson has been a torchbearer for traditional country music, with songs like “Nashville Rash” and a multi-volume series of albums called The Truckin’ Sessions which contains nothing but truck-driving songs. You can hear the real deal on Saturday at the Heights Theater.
    The Offspring hit it big by figuring out a way to put a sheen on punk rock while not totally depriving the form of its energy and rebellion. “Come Out and Play,” “Self Esteem” and “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)” were all hits, showing a keen sense of satire while rocking hard enough to keep heads bobbing. Catch The Offspring on Saturday at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on a bill with fellow poppy punkers Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory.

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    Tom Richards

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