by Margaret | May 29, 2017 | Interviews, On My Mind |
Heylo Bassers! Here is another installment of my InterMagsView where I sit down and bribe really cool bass players with food and wine to talk to me about really cool stuff! My interview below is with Zev Katz. We had a very nice chat over brunch this spring at Serafina’s on the Upper West Side – Native New Yorker, Zev Katz has played with Roxy Music, Hall & Oates, Jeff Beck, Sheryl Crow, and the list goes on-and-on. Currently, he holds the bass chair on the Broadway show “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical”. Mags: I’ve been spending this whole week in the “Zev Katz World” and it’s so deep. I was thinking that I would listen to as much as I can and I don’t even think that I scratched the surface of all the different types of recordings that you have played on. It’s pretty awesome. There is no difference between your upright playing and your electric playing. You’ve achieved – I know that you would disagree – in my mind, maximum proficiency and mastery in both instruments. Zev: I totally disagree! You’re very kind. Mags: Thanks. So even now when you sit down to play something what are you grabbing? Are you grabbing your upright or are you grabbing your electric? Zev: Um…well, it depends on the situation. Let’s say that I’m lucky enough to be working on somebody’s record. I just listen to a song and try to go with my instinctual feeling. I try to really hear something. Usually, I feel like I do. Sometimes my instinct doesn’t work out for the artist, but a lot of the time...
by Margaret | Oct 23, 2016 | On My Mind |
Hello Internet Folks! I’ve been busy this past year. You know, doing really important things like making life. Anyway, Ted and I welcomed our baby daughter on February 2nd, Charlie-Catherine. Some people have told me that being a mom will be the most difficult thing that I’ll do in life. Yes, being a mom is difficult, but you want to know what the most difficult thing that I have ever done in life? Being in a band. Here is a list of some badass bass playing moms that make doing it all look easy. (Yes, I’m typing and pumping at the same time)… Melissa Auf der Maur: I went to see her show by myself at the Mercury Lounge when she released her solo cd and I made out with a guy in the corner of the club. I saw that guy two days later while I was eating my sandwich in Madison Square Park. I said to myself “Oh gawd…” and then I ignored him. Kim Clarke: It’s a bit over my head and that’s why I like it. Sheryl Crow: Yes! She rocks on bass. She’s great – see for yourself! (with Clapton for you guitar nerds or for my second cousins). Kim Gordon: I read Kim Gordon’s book “A Girl in a Band” and that’s why I’m choosing a video from her own project. Yes, there are three sides to every story; her side, his side, and the truth, but #imwithher Carol Kaye: The Godmother… Pia Maiocco: Don’t you just want to be in this band!?!! And she gives that hack Steve Vai some credibility! Zia McCabe: She’s playing...
by Margaret | Apr 24, 2015 | Interviews, On My Mind |
Heylo Bassers! This is my first installment of my InterMagsView where I sit down and bribe really cool bass players with food and wine to talk to me about really cool stuff! My first interview is with Mike Visceglia – Native New Yorker, Mike Visceglia got his professional start touring with Welsh rocker John Cale (Velvet Underground). Mike has been the primary bassist for Suzanne Vega since 1985, and/or has performed with Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Avril Lavigne, Jonatha Brooke, Jorma Kaukonen, Phoebe Snow, Dar Williams, Bette Midler, among many others. He continues to be an active member of the New York music scene, current bass player for the Broadway hit show “Kinky Boots”, and a published author of “A View From the Side.” Mike is having a reading, performance event for “A View From the Side” this Sunday, April 26th at Cafe Vivaldi from Noon-2pm. Mags: Alright – I’ve never interviewed anyone before so… Viscegs: …and we’re in an Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen… Mags: I figured that we’d just hang out and do what we usually do, which is me just asking you a bunch of questions. Viscegs: Cool! Mags: So…do you remember the first time that we met? Viscegs: Um…you say that we met actually before I thought we met. I remember meeting you in the park. Is that right? Mags: Yes! Viscegs: In Madison Square Park. Mags: Yeah. I knew what you looked like because John Carey told me that I should I take a lesson, and go to your clinic, and that I should try to see you play. And then I looked you up on the...
by Margaret | Feb 5, 2015 | On My Mind |
“Wow! Mags is doing a review of the internet?! That sounds pretentious,” you say…. So, what. I am doing a review of the internet and my review is two thumbs up. The internet is like, totally tubular. Two nights ago I was at my girl friend Babs’s house getting a good old fashioned waxing and facial. After we ate her homemade minestrone and watched these little gems: Glove and Boots, Mr Big: Puddles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23rJ4D44It0 Glove and Boots, I Hate Coldplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afUPJOg7uRk It’s OK to not like things: See you on the low...
by Margaret | Jan 28, 2015 | On My Mind |
Cheap Trick is one of my feel good, favorite time bands. Oh Caroline may not be my favorite Cheap Trick song, but it has definitely made an impression on me. The opening drum beat and hot lick… then Robin Zander sings: Oh Caroline – My life shined when you walked in Oh Caroline – My world shined when you came in His heart dropped; he was struck by a lightening bolt – he fell in love IMMEDIATELY! He would (go to the end of the world) for your love! The song starts off so sweet, and sincere, and full of love and hope – and then…. Can you feel my heart strings? They’re on fire. You threw it all away He’s pissed! He’s like wicked pissed! He was rejected! He was going to go to the END OF THE WORLD for Caroline. Now, he’s like – “What, you don’t like me anymore? I’m not going to find another lover like you! How COULD YOU?!” And then then snark happens. The singing isn’t sweet anymore; he’s sour. He’s full of love for one thought, and then next thought, he’s full of hate. He’s yelling at her. He’s absolutely manic. And Rick Nielson’s backing vocals are his subconscious. The little voice in your head that says, “but I LOVE Caroline! I HATE Caroline! I’m a WRECK! WHAT am I going to do??!! I’ll NEVER meet another Caroline again…. Here’s the studio version of Oh Caroline. It really gets the point across – the emotion. Here’s the 1978’s Live at Budokan of Oh Caroline. The lyrical emotional journey is still strong, but different. Also – Cheap...
by Margaret | Jan 15, 2015 | On My Mind |
Top Five Canadian Singles – 2014 Anyone who’s reading this is a fan of Mags (who isn’t?) so when she asked me to be a guest columnist on her blog, I was pretty flattered. Well, first I was kind of vomity, but then I was flattered. I’m not a musician and I’m not a music critic, I’m just a chick who likes her tunes and tries to keep an ear to the ground, but if Mags figures that’s enough, then I’m down with it. So, yeah, I know that “The Best of” or “The Top” lists are pretty much fraught with conflict, and you’re just setting yourself up for someone to say “You totally should have included this!” or “How could you have missed that?” I get it. Everyone’s got their faves, and these are mine. If it helps, just think of the title of this post more as “Krista’s Top Five Canadian Singles.” You’ll see that I have a bit of an alt rock / indie rock bent, but hey, that’s where I’m at. If you’re not there, that’s cool, just write your own list and don’t worry about mine. If you’re super lucky, maybe Mags will let you be a guest columnist sometime, too. 😉 There was a lot of great stuff that came out of Canada in 2014. Like, seriously good. So, here goes the Krista Countdown: #5. Mounties – Tokyo Summer Mounties is basically a Canadian indie supergroup, based out of Toronto and made up of Hawksley Workman, Steve Bays (formerly of Hot Hot Heat) and Ryan Dahle (Limblifter and, formerly, Age...
