Great production, and the groove is serious. N.O. meets sinister minister. Confessional. Way Maxon. And too strong, you right -at least for me, which isn't easy to do. I'm always putting it all out there and it causes me trouble. I tell people ahead of time I'm gonna be a little over enthusiastic. I filter with as much diplomacy as I can but don't suffer apathy indifference bs or boring very well. Over enthusiasm, I got it. In everything I do. Everything. It makes things difficult. But not as difficult (for me) as the alternative. Extra is what the kids call it. My kids. So yeah, extra. But not this strong. This is in your face. Headliner. Of course that's the point. Provocative. So thanks, much appreciated.
Last Edited by Littoral on Apr 05, 2018 4:14 AM
There has always seemed to be, to me at least, a few different factions re: Jason Ricci - the LOVE everything Ricci faction and those not so in love.
I am not part of the LOVE Boat, so view this video through different eyes.
I found it to be too self indulgent for my taste - the preening pouty lip stare into the camera, over and over again. It almost seems like a parody of an Alice Cooper front man, although without the eye make up, etc, that would complete the picture. It falls into the "dig me as I play the tune" rather than "dig the tune I play" category for this listener (keep in mind that I realize this song is a self indulgent one to begin with).
Actually, I may have enjoyed it a lot more without the visual. The music is pretty tight, the harmonica solo pretty much standard Jason, but the singing voice just doesn't ring true to my ears. Sounds like Jason trying to sound like someone else that he likes to sound like.
Once again, this is just my opinion and Jason did put the video out to the community, so hopefully he and his fans will be able to take the criticism along with the LOVE fest. ---------- The Iceman
Do I detect a little funked-up Captain Beefheart influence somewhere in there, or is it just me?
I like the arrangement and the band, and our old buddy Ricci is, to paraphrase Miles, one harp-playing m\therf\cker. Maybe one of my all-time favorites.
I realize that the simple act of a working professional posting one's music without any explanation or verbiage could be interpreted as a request or solicitation for critique or commentary. But, equally it could just be that same working professional offering the official video that is part of the fruits that the dude puts food in his face from.
That it illicits praise or positives from those entertained or inspired may or may not be fitting of the application of the label LOVE fest.
That it compels negatives to have to be articulated, curiously is even more entertaining. To me anyway. All sphincters considered.
Personally, I enjoyed it.
---------- ~Buzadero Underwater Janitor, Patriot MBH poseur since 11Nov2008
Eat the fruit and spit out the rind, I say. If the video has an element of self-marketing in there, well, we all gotta make a living somehow, don't we? Musicians all live in the post-music-video-apocalypse landscape now, whether we like it or not..
Bottomline line for me is that the dude inspires me to go practice some more. Hopefully in a non-self indulgent kinda way..
People who operate in the Public Eye, especially as a career, also open their work up to public criticism - good and bad.
It goes with the territory...Recent story (Political Warning Warning Warning) about Hogg getting upset and calling for boycott on Laura Ingraham because she criticized him (mildly) in a tweet brought this fact to light once again. If you can't stand the criticism (along with the adoration), don't choose this particular career path.
I'm sure Jason can take the criticism. It's just that his fan base sometimes has a real problem with it.
Now, having been off the Professional Musician stage (and all the self promotion that is necessary) for 20 years now, I don't have a real litmus test for what helps an artist like Jason break through. If this type of "in yo face" self promotion is what is needed, well, good luck with the venture. Perhaps in today's world, attention is turned towards exaggerated attitude and not so much the musical statements/talent.
Actually, I'm more a fan of "in yo face" self parody type of exaggerated attitude, of which Rick Estrin is a Master! At least it is obvious that the "schtick" is all in fun, and that is what I personally enjoy the most - but what do I know?
I'm just an old man. (koff wheeze) ---------- The Iceman
For what this song is, a riff, blues rock tune in a Albert King / Cream / Winter/ Pat Travers way, circa 1960s -70's, it hits the nail on the head. It hits all the nails on the head , and the skills of the band are such, I believe, to build an entire house, exceeding code. Maybe an entire tract, a whole division of new homes.
So yeah, I am a Jason fan, but not an uncritical one--it's hardly in my nature to not find fault, imagined or actual, in whatever I'm supposed to be enjoying. But the opening riff is wonderful, full throttle and gritty, the burnished tones of the guitar and harp furnishing a twin taste of trouble coming up soon,which is, of course, that Jason Ricci is too strong for you, whether old flames, drugs and the scoundrels who sell them, bad managers, jails, institutions, the looming threat of death,or the picayune and predictable notifications complaining about form and presentation. JR rises above it all, with a snarl, with a strut, with a preening saunter and cocky smirk that mocks the attempts to knock him down. This song , in not so many words, asks "IS THAT ALL YOU GOT". JR has had his trials, his low points, his dark nights of the soul, and this once, this one song, is less boast, brag or strained bravado than it is a statement of fact: Jason Ricci is too strong for you.
The hard sell , boot strap philosophy of the lyric is convincingly put,and the way Jason snarls and growls the words and chews up his phrases rap-style against the rather hard divisions of the changes puts the attitude across.
The song is wonderfully done, a punky, metal-ish blues blunderbust, with frightfully spare guitar solos from this good fellow here and , of course, the kind of blues bends and twistings on harmonica that make me think of Jeff Beck when he finds new ways of making the guitar sound fierce . This is a good riff rocker, my friends. This is not music for old people, chronologically or otherwise. ---------- www.ted-burke.com
Last Edited by ted burke on Apr 05, 2018 12:51 PM
It's got a great greasy groove. I like the song form, which owes something to "Born Under a Bad Sign," but is also its own thing. Of course the solo, when it finally comes, is terrific; it's got RESTRAINT, along with groove, qualities that Iceman has helped me appreciate with his many comments over the years.
Most of all, I like the playful way that the video straddles the line between straight and mocking. As far as I can tell, Mooncat, you're actually satirizing the sort of pouty-lipped rock diva that Iceman seems to think you're unironically embodying. I see the whole thing as a very dry self-parody, perfectly calibrated.
"Sounds like Jason trying to sound like someone else that he likes to sound like." Um. Yes. Exactly. It's Jason trying to sound (and act) like "Jason Ricci, the all-powerful, super-mighty rock diva." But he gets the joke, that's evident in his smile--and that makes all the difference.
Littorel sez: "Then I'm sure you're fine with Ingraham having to deal with the criticism."
Yup. I'm fine with that, too.
Buzadero sez: "You are indeed a master baiter."
Well, I did spend one summer helping a professional fisherman with his hooks and worms. He told me that as his Apprentice Baiter, I had a way to go before he would consider me a Master Baiter. He would be happy to know that I've made it, at least according to Buzadero.
Yes, it is a video. I do get it, 99, but thanks for reminding me.
and yes, I'm too old to enjoy this particular type of approach. Wore out that particular interest years ago with Twisted Sister.
Glad you guys like the video.
Diversity is what makes life interesting. ---------- The Iceman
Actually, I don't think I quite said what I meant to say. I don't see Jason's performance as satire or self-parody, exactly. It's not out of control or over the top in that way. What I like, in fact, is precisely the fact that it feels completely in control. And I like the tension between THAT and the outrageousness of the claim, "I'm too strong for you," which says what many songs WANT to say but few if any have ever said that directly.
Now I'm faltering for words--and that is surprising, because I'm not in doubt about what I'm seeing. I'm still seeing the same video and performance I saw when I wrote my earlier post. But I'm surprised at how difficult it is to accurately describe what I'm seeing: a performance that looks "out there" but is actually deep, deep in the pocket.
My hats off to the Mooncat. He has disabled me. Gussow down!
I thought it was self-referential but not self-reverential. The bombastic claims were in a tradition of bluff, bluster and exaggeration, and not meant to be taken literally, in my view. The stage persona of "Jason Ricci" showed a lot of attitude in the video, which I found engaging. BronzeWailer's YouTube
The whole self-referential, bombastic claims thing, in the blues context, goes way back and connects with a lot of folk healing traditions. It's hard not to make that connection if you ever read some of the shamanic chants documented by people like Mircea Eliade and Jerome Rothenberg: they're full of what sounds like bombast, but the ultimate goal was generating power for the purpose of empowering others. A friend of mine told me he once heard a street preacher in New Orleans say "I'm a fire-man, like John the Baptist!"
I’m no Music Critic, so my opinion may not be as nuanced as some. I just like listening to music. I have seen Jason perform this song live a number of times. It is one of my favorites. I never really thought about the meaning of the lyrics. I guess I am shallow. Exactly what, Jason Ricci, are you “Too strong for”? Ted Burke – you opened my eyes on this one. Not sure if you are 100% correct, but it is a very good take on it. Thanks.
Full disclosure. I freely admit to being a Jason Ricci fan and because of our business arrangement, his publicity benefits my business. There are a lot of things I don’t understand about music. I’m just not that knowledgeable. I don’t “get” some of the subtle innuendos about genre and historical references. As an equipment guy I have come to realize that there are a lot of people who hear things that I do not. It should come as no big surprise that a professional musician would have a better “ear” than I do. Having never written a piece of original music, it should also be no surprise that I am unfamiliar with the thinking that goes into such an endeavor. There are endless debates about what the lyrics of some songs are about. Honestly, I don’t get bogged down with all that. Its too much work for me. I just want to sit back and enjoy the experience. It is for that reason I have stopped watching live performances through my cell phone as I video tape them. It distracts me and detracts from the experience. Now, I just keep the phone in my pocket and try to wallow around in the atmosphere and soak in the music – to experience it “live” as opposed to trying to capture it. But I digress a bit.
At one of Jason’s (and Winslow’s) Harmonica Collectives, he commented that virtually every time he plays in public, somebody (or perhaps several somebodys) is video recording him and more often than not, that footage is posted on YouTube. Is that music being posted for posterity so that all can listen or because the poster is saying, “I was there”? The point is, there are literally thousands of Jason Ricci videos floating around out there – including his live performances and his countless lessons.
This particular MTV type of video has good production quality and is not just about the music. The Ed Sullivan impersonator was good. I wonder how many of you grew up watching the Ed Sullivan Show every Sunday night as he introduced America to mega-star bands such as The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. The set was always very sparse – just four guys and their instruments. I know that I am stating the obvious. My point is that the video is fun. It is a tribute. Without overanalyzing it – I enjoyed it and it left me wanting more, which I think is the overall objective of any artistic expression. Isn’t that what “they say”? “Always leave them wanting more?”
Good guitar playing. Good Sullivan impersonator. Not crazy for the vocals or performance style. ---------- •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• "Humor is always the first victim of political correctness."
I'm not a big fan of videos as a first introduction to a new song, but I thought the tongue-in-cheek approach fit perfectly. I dig Ted Burke's analysis...and I think this bravado-style approach has been a HUGE part of blues since the genre began...just another way to do the Howlin' Wolf prancin' around the stage and walkin' on tables thang! So this truly is modern blues. The skill level is off the friggin' charts, of course. Great stuff. Thank you, Mr. Ricci, for sharing.
A little "Outer Limits'-----A few clips of '60's' female fans [Maybe for "Beatles"--"Stones"- ------ Ed Sullivan "from the waist up only" Like elvis ---
A serious message done in a humorous fashion, accompanied with a great groove and great playing WHATS NOT TO LIKE
Finally, i now have a way to explain what I like about J Riccis playing
"harmonica that make me think of Jeff Beck when he finds new ways of making the guitar sound fierce " Thats what Jeff beck was,an is to me as well
I like the song, and it's a really great performance by Jason and the band. The band is tight, and the guitar part is nice. Jason's playing is excellent as always, showcasing his unique style. I am not a big fan of the heavy effects pedals on the harp (just personal taste). I prefer a more traditional Little Walter tone.
I like songs where the meaning is left open for interpretations. When I first listened to this on the album (which I bought on iTunes), I came up with a few different ideas about what the song is saying. It think it's best when the meaning is not too explicit.
Concerning the first minute of the video - I'm not really a fan of this type of humour, and would have preferred just a music video without the opening joke.
Last Edited by AppalachiaBlues on Apr 06, 2018 11:46 AM
Iceman sez "It goes with the territory...Recent story (Political Warning Warning Warning) about Hogg getting upset and calling for boycott on Laura Ingraham because she criticized him (mildly) in a tweet brought this fact to light once again. If you can't stand the criticism (along with the adoration), don't choose this particular career path."
Add pizza supreme (hypocrite) to Master Baiter there Iceman.
You are ultra quick to jump down other posters throats screaming stfu over political posts you obviously disagree with (personal experience speaking here) but are even quicker to drag one out to justify your own opinion (every opinion has a trump, so they say...), while at the same time proudly showing where your political affinity is. Advertisers left her in droves for a reason, though I guess they must be wrong and you're "right" eh!
Can't stand a little heat yourself? Maybe you should get out of the kitchen.
As for the vid, go wild, go crazy, go hard!
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt
My business partner -- the guy who has teased me for years about this little toy instrument of ours (we attack that which scares us)that he doesn't understand -- lives in New Orleans. He and his girlfriend were in attendance last night at Chickie Wah Wah.
According to him, the M-Cat "killed it". This, from a guy that lives and breathes the NOLA music scene as an aficionado.
Good job,JR
Call me Love Fest by proxy.....
---------- ~Buzadero Underwater Janitor, Patriot MBH poseur since 11Nov2008
Nice spin attempt, there, Kumoso, as well as trying to drag politics back into the spotlight when I used a tiny piece of it as a current example (with "Warning" put in so those of delicate dispositions can know to read no further). It was an in and out thing.
The assumptions you draw reflect your own inner workings (and what you might do if given the opportunity)more so than any "dastardly plan" you believe I am hatching.
It's obvious Kumoso just plain does not like my postings. Personality conflict. We get it.
You did directly "attack" me, which I believe is against the policy here. I'm a big boy and can take it, but please note, Monitor Nacoran, that it should stop here and now before it spins out of control.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled program. ---------- The Iceman
He certainly was better than Topo Giggio, and the guy spinning plates on top of sticks. Rock on Jason! Far as I'm concerned, you're too strong for just about everyone and everything. If you can play, or well on your way, you are my bro. Be it hard and heavy rock, Piedmont blues, or an Irish jig, if your harp is trying to do it justice, you've got my ear. Then again, I'm a Zappa fan. See you in Harrisburg 6/1.
It's easy to be critical, so I will be, If he's going to make video's with that hair style, then he must start using high lite again, PINK, BLUE GREEN, something! LOL.
I've always taken this song as satire, poking fun at himself and the sexy rocker stereotype, along the same lines as his older song The World's Just Wrong The CD/video version loses something without the storytelling that accompies it live.
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