Finally there is a song that will stay in your head for hours after hearing it... that isn't a piece of shit. Fitz and the Tantrums song "HandClap" is possibly the most infectious song you will hear - and love. If it was a disease the human race would be toast. Fitz and the Tantrums are a Los Angeles band formed in about 2010 by French-born American Michael Fitzpatrick. He enlisted his college buddy James King who recommended soul singer Noelle Scaggs and suddenly Joseph Karnes, John Wicks and Jeremy Ruzumna completed the lineup. Michael Fitzpatrick stated that putting the band together was like five phone calls, one rehearsal and they could've played a show that night... that's how much they clicked.
Their debut album 'Pickin' Up the Pieces' from 2010 featured another Bitter FM favourite "MoneyGrabber" - another song that will always be on the Bitter FM playlists.
They released their self-titled third album this year and that even has a song co-written and produced by 'Lorde' producer Joel Little. But let's get back to "HandClap". The album itself may be a move from old Motown style soul to more polished pop-soul with even less of the indie rock element - but if "HandClap" fires up your next party.... then all is forgiven.
Get Clapping!
Lake Taupo
Monday, October 31, 2016
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Rainer Ptacek - "Life Is Fine"
I rediscovered an album that I thought I had lost. It was a tribute album for Rainer Ptacek, a German born but Tucson based musician. The album 'The Inner Flame - A Tribute to Rainer Ptacek' was released in 1997. Howe Gelb, a former bandmate of Rainer's at the formation of 'Giant Sand' and Robert Plant organised the tribute album to help Rainer pay for the ever increasing medical costs after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lymphoma a year earlier. The list of willing contributors was exceptionally good. It featured Giant Sand with Howe Gelb, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Emmylou Harris, Evan Dando, Victoria Williams, Mark Olson, Vic Chestnut and Tina Chesnutt, PJ Harvey, John Parish, The Drovers, Madeleine Peyroux, Kris McKay, LK, Jonathan Richman, and Bill Janovitz and also featured Rainer on a lot of the tracks.
His finger picking and slide guitar playing made him a legend with his peers. He was invited to play and record with artists such as ZZ Top and Robert Plant and a lot of his recordings are becoming available again - since most had been out of print and some were originally cassette releases.
Unfortunately Rainer Ptacek died in 1997... after it seemed he had beaten the disease.
His performance on 'Later with Jools Holland' below, is so emotional it is hard to believe it predates the time of his sickness by a few years. Even the lyrics are enough to send shivers down your spine when you know what was to come.
A tragic loss.
Madeleine Peyroux's version of "Life Is Fine" from the tribute album is sensational as well.
His finger picking and slide guitar playing made him a legend with his peers. He was invited to play and record with artists such as ZZ Top and Robert Plant and a lot of his recordings are becoming available again - since most had been out of print and some were originally cassette releases.
Unfortunately Rainer Ptacek died in 1997... after it seemed he had beaten the disease.
His performance on 'Later with Jools Holland' below, is so emotional it is hard to believe it predates the time of his sickness by a few years. Even the lyrics are enough to send shivers down your spine when you know what was to come.
A tragic loss.
Madeleine Peyroux's version of "Life Is Fine" from the tribute album is sensational as well.
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