BILL WITHERS IN 2012 - THE ARGUMENT

Bill Withers never really seemed to fit into any category - and didn't seem to care - but he was such an incredible songwriter. (I use the past tense, because he is one of the few musicians to retire and stay retired. He's the first to remind you that he's retired if you talk about his career in the present tense.) He is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and I think he should also be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

People may not think of him as rocking because of "Lean On Me" and "Just The Two Of Us," which are incredible songs.  But hell, if "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" didn't keep Neil Diamond out of the Hall of Fame, surely "Lean" and "Two Of Us" shouldn't bother anyone.

His debut album, 1971's Just As I Am, is just classic. Produced by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Booker T.  Jones, (and featuring lead guitar from another hall of famer, Stephen Stills), it is funky and badass as hell (the late, great, Al Jackson Jr. plays drums on many songs - the drummer for Booker T. & The MGs, he played on tons of Stax classics, as well as on many of Al Green's greatest songs). With classics like "Grandma's Hands," "Harlem" and the immortal "Ain't No Sunshine," plus covers of "Everybody's Talkin'" and The Beatles' "Let It Be," it's just amazing.

The follow-up, 1972's Still Bill, was also incredible: it has the ubiquitous  "Lean On Me," but also two really funky badass tunes, "Use Me" and "Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)" And after that is one of the best live albums ever, 1973's Live At Carnegie Hall, which has one of his most powerful songs, "I Can't Write Left Handed," which John Legend & The Roots covered on Wake Up. That's pretty much what you need to know about Bill.  He had some cool songs after that - "Just The Two Of Us," and also "Lovely Day" - but the first three records are the real deal.  Do yourself a favor and pick them up, and then see if you agree with me, I bet you will.

STILLS, YOUNG AND FURAY COMMENT ON DEWEY MARTIN

Buffalo Springfield's Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay finally released a joint statement about the death of drummer Dewey Martin. You can read it, and read a lot of stuff and see some cool Springfield videos at Thrasher's Wheat. 

"WE HAVE ALL BEEN HERE BEFORE": CSNY'S DEJA VU DOC

I saw the Crosby Stills Nash & Young doc Deja Vu (directed by "Bernard Shakey," aka Neil Young) tonight. I was incredibly moved. Not necessarily because of the band members. But because some of the other people interviewed in the film: veteran of this and other wars, and family members of soldiers. There were parts that were pretty devastating. 

And it wasn't self-congratulatory to the band, either. You see people getting really angry with them, there are some really harsh reviews of their shows used in the film, and conservative radio DJs are interviewed (and arch-conservative TV host Stephen Colbert's interview with Neil is included as well). There's also footage of Neil messing up the words to "Carry On" and some unflattering footage of Stephen Stills falling down on stage.  Speaking of Stills, it's interesting, he somehow comes off as the most eloquent guy in the group. If the book Shakey is to be believed, he is (or was) the craziest guy in the band, and was the biggest prick with the biggest ego. I don't know much about the guy, but he seems to have changed a lot. Although he's as outraged at what is going on in the world as David Crosby, Graham Nash or Young, because he's a little more conservative, he comes off as less shrill. (I'm not putting those guys down, I can get a bit soap-boxy myself.) Plus, he's the guy who puts his time (and probably money) where his mouth is, helping Democratic candidates campaign in hopes of making a difference through more than singing. 

Is it the only doc about the war that you should see? No, but it is a very moving and - I'll say it - fair and balanced film. I recommend it, and not as a Neil Young fan, just as an American. 

By the way, you don't need to go to the theater to see it: you can watch it on demand on Netflix.com (only on a PC though). 

Also, check out Neil's interview with Charlie Rose, where he discusses this film, as well as Linc-Volt, here. 

THE STILLS/HENDRIX BAND?

I've read that tapes have surfaced

of an album's worth of material by Stephen Stills and Jimi Hendrix. I'm pretty excited to hear this, but with reservations: there's so much Hendrix stuff that has come out over the years that maybe should have stayed in the vaults. That said, everything that is currently out is pretty cool. Jimi played on a track on Stills' debut solo album, I guess these sessions were recorded at around that time.