Pop Quiz: Gnarls Barkley

Pop Quiz: Gnarls Barkley

Aidin Vaziri | Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton has produced albums for Beck, the Black Keys and Ike Turner. He's also the guy responsible for 2004's "The Grey Album," an unsanctioned mash-up of the Beatles and Jay-Z that was downloaded by millions. But the 31-year-old studio maverick is probably best known as half of Gnarls Barkley, the costume-loving, Grammy-winning group behind the blockbuster hit "Crazy" and 2006's multiplatinum "St. Elsewhere." The duo's latest release, "The Odd Couple," continues to twist genres, mixing hip-hop with psychedelic rock. But is the group still dressing like the "Star Wars" cantina band? Find out when Gnarls Barkley headlines the two-day Slow Food Rocks festival at the Great Meadow at Fort Mason Center on Saturday. Us? We just asked Burton.


Danger Mouse
Q: Did you ever secretly hope that Gnarls Barkley would flop so you would have more time in the studio with your other projects?
A: No. It's OK. We toured on and off for almost a year on the first record, but I still did a lot of stuff in between. On this album, we only did a few months. That's pretty much it. It's not a big deal.
Q: You used to perform in a mouse outfit because you were too shy to perform in front of people. Do you still need a stiff drink before going onstage now?
A: I still do. Not to the point of being completely intoxicated, but it definitely helps take the edge off for me.
Q: What's your nerve tonic of choice?
A: Ah, it differs. I don't know. I don't want to go into my exact formula or anything like that because it might be different by the time this makes it to print. Continue reading.

Review: The Verve 'Forth'

Review: The Verve 'Forth'

The Verve 'Forth': Aidin Vaziri | There's only one thing that can kill the buzz of seeing your favorite band from 1994 get back together: new material. That's what happened when the members of the Verve reunited for a second time last year after more than a decade of hostility. They resurrected the old reverb-drenched psychedelia of their early years beautifully and even put fresh air into the songs from 1997's breakthrough "Urban Hymns," but then they closed every concert with the preposterous, sample-heavy post-reunion jam, "Love Is Noise." Now comes a full album of new stuff - the group's fourth, in case the punny title didn't spell it out clearly enough - that somehow makes that track actually sound decent. The rest of the disc works off the same basic blueprint as the band's old material (all of it) but somehow sounds unfinished, with just one track wrapping things up in less than five minutes and several others seemingly never really developed beyond basic studio sketches (see the self-descriptive "Noise Epic"). It's just as well. Front man Richard Ashcroft, left, has already announced plans to resume his solo career, and we all know how that well that was going.

Live Review: Tokio Hotel at The Fillmore

Live Review: Tokio Hotel at The Fillmore

Tokio Hotel makes fans uber wild: Aidin Vaziri | They lined up for hours, some even days. Mostly girls. Mostly under the age of consent. Mostly trailed by parents who probably deserve some sort of Olympic medal in dealing with hyperventilating prepubescents. Germany's Tokio Hotel seems to inspire this kind of frenzy everywhere it appears. The Fillmore on Tuesday was no exception. It was a miracle the whole club didn't tip over for the number of squirming bodies trying to cram as close to the stage as humanly possible. The best way to describe the glam-metal-emo-pop-tween group is like the Jonas Brothers for girls who prefer chipped black nail polish and fishnet stockings to unicorn puffy stickers and purity rings. Because the Magedburg-bred quartet has already dominated Europe in every way possible - selling more than 6 million CDs and DVDs since forming in 2001, playing for 500,000 people beneath the Eiffel Tower, filling their parents' homes with various statuettes - Tokio Hotel has had no recourse but to turn its attention to America. Continue reading.

Pop Quiz: Glen Campbell

Pop Quiz: Glen Campbell

Aidin Vaziri | Glen Campbell, 72, once claimed that he drank enough alcohol and snorted enough cocaine to sink a battleship. After his six decades in the music business - which took him from being a poverty-stricken country boy to the ultimate square-jawed country icon - that seems like a bit of an understatement. This week, the born-again Rhinestone Cowboy releases "Meet Glen Campbell," not only his first major secular album in 15 years but also his first since a highly publicized 2003 DUI arrest. It's a collection of cover songs by acts such as Green Day, Foo Fighters and U2.

Glen Campbell
Q: Do you know how I can get a copy of your mug shot?
A: Boy, did that scare the hell out of me. I quit drinking, I can tell you that.
Q: That works much better than AA.
A: It sure does. And spending seven days in jail. I didn't like that at all.
Q: How many comebacks have you had now?
A: I've been very blessed in my life. Things fall in place. Continue reading.

Review: Lykke Li 'Youth Novels'

Review: Lykke Li 'Youth Novels'

Lykke Li 'Youth Novels': Aidin Vaziri | Maybe it's having grown up watching all those videos that had Madonna rolling around on the floor wearing lace gloves and caressing lion cheeks, but it seems as if every young Swedish singer who tries to have her own "Borderline" moment ends up with something monumentally more jaw-dropping. The latest example is 22-year-old Lykke Li, who threw herself full on into "The Immaculate Collection" while her hippie parents were off swinging from trees in Portugal or something. Anyway, since she couldn't exactly just call up Nile Rodgers, Jellybean Benitez or William Orbit, Li has instead come up with a mesmerizing brand of pure pop that is distinctly her own. She made first impact earlier this year on the British television show "Later ... With Jools Holland," where people such as Phil Collins usually show up with 20-piece orchestras. Li came with an acoustic guitar player and some guy tapping on a box, while she slapped a tambourine (later switching to a bell) and sang the saucy, elfin ballad "Little Bit." How many love songs can handle a sentiment like "For you, I'll keep my legs apart"? There are shades of Björk and Feist in her spacey voice, which on her first album is paired with a raw, electro-pop score that makes tracks such as "I'm Good, I'm Gone" and "Breaking It Up" 101 percent addictive. And what about "This Trumpet in My Head"? Pffffttt. We can only hope she never makes enough money to move to Los Angeles to do Pilates and Timbaland.

Great rock 'n' roll myths... busted

Great rock 'n' roll myths... busted

Great rock 'n' roll myths... busted: Aidin Vaziri | Our recent review of Robert Plant's concert with Alison Krauss sparked outrage for all the wrong reasons. People weren't infuriated that the once-mighty Led Zeppelin front man had gone all Garrison Keillor (taking several of his old band's classic tunes with him) but by the fact that we knowingly played up to classic rock mythology and insinuated that he once used a shark as a sex toy. Why wouldn't we?

Anyone who has had the pleasure of picking at the remnants of a backstage deli tray from a moth-eaten couch under the green glow of fluorescent lights can tell you that backstage rock 'n' roll fantasy is immensely more interesting than reality. But for the sticklers, we decided to dig through our archives (along with a well-thumbed copy of Gavin Edwards' "Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton's Little John? Rock's Most Enduring Mysteries, Myths and Rumors Revealed") to look at the truth behind five really great persevering rock legends.


ROBERT PLANT USED A SHARK AS A SEX TOY While the Led Zeppelin front man has cut himself out a nice reputation as a sex god, this particular story stems from a 1969 incident documented in the book "Hammer of the Gods" involving the group's road manager, Richard Cole; some eager-to-please groupies; assorted members of Vanilla Fudge; Seattle's Edgewater Inn; and either a red snapper or a mud shark. True to form, those who were actually there don't remember the fine details. But by all accounts, Plant steered clear of the event. In fact, when we talked to him in 2002, he downplayed his number of purported bedroom conquests significantly. "I'm probably a couple of thousand behind Gene Simmons, or maybe a couple of thousand in front," Plant said. "I can't even remember the last time I had sex. Randy Newman is probably the guy who put it about more than anybody. He's got that look about him - that crazed look." Continue reading.

Review: Jonas Brothers 'A Little Bit Longer'

Review: Jonas Brothers 'A Little Bit Longer'

Jonas Brothers 'A Little Bit Longer': Aidin Vaziri | Woooooo! Eeeeeek! Kevvvvvvin! If this were a proper review of the new Jonas Brothers album, of course, it would be filled with nothing but the eardrum-piercing screams that are always drowning out the band's music. That's probably not a bad thing. If anyone actually heard the first few Beatles albums without the filter of a thousand hormonal teenage girls, they probably never would have been given the chance to make "Revolver." The Jonas Brothers - Nick, 16; Joe, who turns 19 on Friday; and Kevin, 20 - might not be around that long, but with the hit made-for-TV movie "Camp Rock" and a sold-out amphitheater tour making them the choice pinup act for kindergarteners, there's no doubt that this summer belongs to them. As an introduction to rock 'n' roll, the purity ring-wearing trio's third album isn't all that bad. Drawing on unexpected influences such as Elvis Costello and Fountains of Wayne, it's dominated by '80s-leaning power pop songs such as "BB Good," "Shelf" and "Video Girl." Front man Joe has a pleasantly raspy voice, and the band somehow manages to steer clear of syrupy ballads you might normally associate with a Disney-sanctioned act of Christian rockers. Well, for the most part, anyway. The title track details brother Nick's struggle with diabetes in slow motion, complete with tears and an unintentional nod to Joni Mitchell with the line, "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone." Although they attempt to wrestle with other teenage traumas, the brothers are at their best on the brilliantly mindless single "Burnin' Up." Now if only the kids would shut up long enough to listen.

Review: Inara George with Van Dyke Parks 'An Invitation'

Review: Inara George with Van Dyke Parks 'An Invitation'

Inara George with Van Dyke Parks 'An Invitation': Aidin Vaziri | Van Dyke Parks has a way of making you feel seasick without ever leaving land. His zealous arrangements are as dizzyingly childlike and oddly sinister as his list of past clients: Brian Wilson, Joanna Newsom and Harry Nilsson for the soundtrack of the movie "Popeye." Unlike those artists, Bird and the Bee singer Inara George is too willing of an accomplice for the famed Los Angeles producer. Her barely there vocals and throwaway lines, such as "Have you ever seen the ocean?/ It's darker at the bottom," easily get lost in his hallucinogenic score of strings, horns and banjos. Parks comes off looking like a bad guest. It's an odd collaboration that, despite turning up the gem "Oh My Love," doesn't really do anyone any favors.

Pop Quiz: Lyrics Born

Pop Quiz: Lyrics Born

Aidin Vaziri | Lyrics Born has no use for concealed weapons or four-letter words. For more than a decade, the Japanese American rapper (born Tom Shimura) has kept the Bay Area on the hip-hop map, at first through collaborations with DJ Shadow and Lateef, and lately as a solo star with songs on TV shows such as "Entourage" and "Gossip Girl." His latest album, "Everywhere at Once," has kept him on the road since it was released earlier this year. But that's no big deal for an artist who averages something like 150 shows a year.

Lyrics Born
Q: What kind of tour manager books back-to-back dates in Amsterdam and Australia?
A: I don't even want to think about it. There's no other way. I've got a hit in Australia right now. They want me to come out and strike while the iron is hot.
Q: Oh yeah? Which one of your songs is blowing up down there?
A: "I Like It, I Love It."
Q: Is that the one where you get to dress up like Mr. T in the video? Did you really get into the part and shave your head and walk around telling everyone that you pity the fool for a few weeks before the shoot?
A: No. I put one of those bald wigs on, but it was fun.
Q: Did you know there's a Mr. T keychain that has buttons you push to make him says things like, "Quit your jibba jabba" and "First name, Mister; middle name, Period; last name, T"?
A: They have those? It would have made things a lot easier. Continue reading.

Review: Carla Bruni, 'Comme Si De Rien N'Etait''

Review: Carla Bruni, 'Comme Si De Rien N'Etait''

Carla Bruni, 'Comme Si De Rien N'Etait': Aidin Vaziri | Even before she married French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni had a thing for prominent men such as Mick Jagger and Donald Trump. So even though the lyrics on her third album, "Comme Si de Rien N'Etait" ("As If Nothing Happened"), were written before her latest romantic coup, it's hard to separate content from context, especially when, in the song "Tu Es Ma Came," the singer describes her lover as "more dangerous than Colombian white." But the mild-mannered music hardly matches the exuberance of lines like that. Slathered with strings, horns, and folk and blues guitars, Bruni's new album is not quite as charming as her 2003 premiere, "Quelqu'un M'a Dit." Still, songs such as "L'Amoureuse" and "Déranger Les Pierres" are quite beautiful, and "Salut Marin," a tribute to her late brother, might represent one of Bruni's finest recorded moments yet.

Review: U2, 'Deluxe Editions: Boy, October, War'

Review: U2, 'Deluxe Editions: Boy, October, War'

U2, 'Deluxe Edition Box Set': Aidin Vaziri | Because of the mullets, pointy boots and shaky association with acts such as Simple Minds and the Alarm, most people never bothered to upgrade their cassette copies of U2's first three albums. Big mistake. Going back 28 years to the future stadium rockers' premiere, "Boy," you find all the vital parts for world domination were already in place: The Edge's glorious guitar strokes, Bono's expansive poetry and melodies to make your head brush up against the stars. (Bono, left and the Edge are pictured at the Sundance Film Festival.) In fact, it's hard to think of anything the band has done since that matches the knee-wobbling majesty of "An Cat Dubh/Into the Heart." Still, U2 made great strides forward with the understated, underrated spiritual masterpiece "October" and its galvanizing follow-up, "War," which includes the song that ultimately set the band on its way, "Sunday Bloody Sunday." These reissues come with bonus discs crammed with live cuts, remixes and rarities.

Pop Quiz: Belinda Carlisle

Pop Quiz: Belinda Carlisle

Aidin Vaziri | The last time we saw Belinda Carlisle, the former Go-Go's singer was posing for Playboy. Now the 49-year-old solo star is making her return to the live stage as part of this summer's Regeneration Tour, which features several acts that were big in the '80s playing the hits that made them famous. In Carlisle's case, that means five Top-20 pop tunes, including "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" and "Mad About You." The Human League, ABC and A Flock of Seagulls also appear on the bill. We talked to Carlisle by phone from her home in the South of France.

Belinda Carlisle
Q: Did you think you would be doing this when you were 50?
A: No. I couldn't even imagine being 50 anyway, regardless of what I would be doing or not. It's old, isn't it?
Q: In the '80s you used to have drugs sent by FedEx to all your tour stops. Who knew you were so rock 'n' roll?
A: Oh, yeah. I could have done anything back then. I took advantage of being young and wealthy and having no responsibilities. I like to think I left no stone unturned.
Q: Are you worried this tour is going to bring back any bad habits? I heard the guys in A Flock of Seagulls are maniacs.
A: No, not at all. I think everybody on this tour has been through it. Most people are at a point in their lives where they have let their egos go, and they're doing it to have a good time. I like to do the best possible show. That requires a lot of rest and sleep. I should look like a million years old.
Q: Do you ever wake up and think, "How am I still alive?"
A: There's an element of luck and fate. I realize how lucky I am. That I can still work, that I can have artistic license. I still have a life and I still have a family. Continue reading.

Review: Conor Oberst

Review: Conor Oberst

Conor Oberst, 'Conor Oberst': Aidin Vaziri | Recorded in the Mexican city of Tepoztlan, a place where UFOs and mystics purportedly converge, Conor Oberst's first solo album in 13 years is all about letting go of the emotional and political baggage that plagued his past few outings under the Bright Eyes name and setting out on a Jack Kerouac-style journey of self-discovery. "There's nothing the road cannot heal," he sings on "Moab." He continues the thread in his own distinctive way, doing a first-class Bob Dylan impersonation on unexpectedly meaty songs such as "Sausalito" ("Living's easy on a houseboat/ Let the ocean rock us back and forth to sleep") and "Milk Thistle" ("If I go to heaven, I'll be bored as hell/ Like a little baby at the bottom of a well").