The Greatest Female Guitarists

Elle magazine is celebrating the 12 Greatest Female Guitarists. The recently release documentary It Might Get Loud focuses on the guitar work of Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White. Obviously missing from this film is a female contributor, so Elle come in.
The list varies from Joan Jett, to ex-band mate Lita Ford to Nancy Wilson. New comers such as Orianthi are mentioned. She was slated to tour with Michael Jackson. I saw her perform with Carrie Underwood at Madison Square Garden and she stole the show from Carrie.

Being that I own a Gibson SG, it was interesting that so many of these women are shown performing with the SG. I've worked with a lot of women and most of them are very self depreciating when it comes to their guitar skills. They shouldn't be. They all add so much to music. Note: Rosanne Cash, Brandi Shearer, Gabby Glaser and Jill Cunniff.

Live Brandi Shearer Free on Amazon

As a pre-album release gift, Brandi Shearer has made available for a limited time on Amazon a free download of her EP Live At The Soiled Dove. The EP includes the always powerful I Want You Out from Close To Dark, To LA, which is no longer available on CD and When You Wake Up, which is on the new record (Love Don't Make You Juliet -out Sept 1).

RCRDLBL.com had this to say about When You Wake Up: "But sweet as she sounds (and looks), below the surface sheʼs kinda just cruising for a fight—check out the can't-stop-me vengefulness she sketches out over some Tom Waitsian clatter on this tune from her new Craig Street–produced album."

Losers and Freaks -Brandi Shearer

It's been a long time coming, but Brandi Shearer has a new record Love Don't Make You Juliet. It comes out on Sept 1. For those in SF, she'll be at Cafe du Nord that night to celebrate the release. The first single is Losers and Freaks and Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive stream up now. The album was produced by Craig Street. Enjoy it.

Cupcakes and Concerts

Cupcakes and Concerts should be an album title. Is it a new trend in live music? Washington DC's 9:30 Club is selling a cupcake that was custom made for the club, reports Celebrity Access. Club owner Seth Hurwitz said they have been working with chef Josh Short for over a year to get it just right adding, "We expect this will create a secondary cupcake market for scalpers. So come early and buy them in advance."

Cupcakes are not new to live shows. Brandi Shearer treated her fans to after show treats from the Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery. Brandi fell in love with the tasty morsels and had then on hand to show her appreciation to the fans after the last show in her residency at the Living Room.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Trujillo

Brandi Shearer on Daytrotter

Brandi Shearer visited the Daytrotter studio for a live session during her tour last year with Kate Walsh and Quincy Coleman. There are 3 new songs: Animal, I Just Want You To Love Me,

When You Wake Up and a beautiful version of Night Singing Bird which is also on her EP First Punch. You can download the tracks from the Daytrotter site. Interesting title to the piece: The Endearment Of An Ashen Animal.

Miserable Day - Better Evening

Mets fans have been pretty forgiving. I think our patience is spent. To quote ex-Mets' Manager Yogi Berra, It's Deja Vu all over again. How does a team fall apart two years in a row, in the same fashion? At the plate, they looked like all life had been sucked from them. Were they aware they were playing for the post season? It was a suckydo ending to the illustrious history of Shea Stadium. For an short time after the game, the Shea Goodbye closing ceremonies made us put aside the debacle of a game. Mets heros of better days entered the field and crossed home plate. Tom Seaver threw the last pitch at Shea to Mike Piazza and the lights at Shea were dimmed for the last time. Anger and frustration for the 2007/8 Mets. Admiration and fondness for the 1969/86/2000 Mets.

Boosting my spirits for one hour, was the return of Dexter: The craftily written and acted story of a serial killer. Brandi Shearer's song Lullabies may have a whole new place in music as the song to repeatedly have sex to. Lullabies: the aphrodisiac, just ask Dexter's girlfriend Rita.

Brandi Shearer Live From NY

This is late, in fact a month late, but it made me realize how a great performance stays with you long after the show is over. I still get chills when I think about seeing The Clash at The Palladium, Brian Dennehey in Death of A Salesman and my first concert: The Beach Boys at Nassau Coliseum. Brandi Shearer’s three week residency at The Living Room, culminated in one of those moments. Each show built on a growing power. By the last show in late August, the audience was inhaling every note. Brandi herself seemed a bit surprised that everyone was LISTENING (meaning not talking through the set, which seems to be status quo). The closing number Yes, Yes, Yes brought the show full circle. People have commented that her live show reminds them of Janis Joplin without the screaming. Brandi is not afraid to take a song by the horns and blast it back at you. Heaven is a borderline creepy song, that stays in your being for days. It’s a call for redemption, take me back I’m good now-She means it! Punctuating lines like “I Want To Go To Heaven Like Other Little Girls” and “I want you back,
I always did. And I’m such a good girl now”, Brandi has you guessing about what could she have done to cause such pleading….

Her band of seasoned New York-based musicians added to the excitement, kept the pace going and had fun.

Jim Campilongo of the Little Willies booked ended the shows with his guitar while Steve Elliot picked up middle relief.
Richard Hammond on both upright and electric Bass
Robin Macatangay on acoustic Guitar
Aaron Comess of the Spin Doctors on Drums

The icing on the last night of performances was Brandi sharing her recent obsession with the audience: cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery. She told the audience how much she loves NY, even the subway shutdown due to a storm, 95 degree weather one day and 65 the next. For three weeks, New York City was Brandi’s town.

Download Brandi's Lullabies for limited time, free at amoeba.com

McCartney Mania At Amoeba Music in LA

I don't think anyone but the people who work at Amoeba Music could know what it is like to assemble an in-store performance for Paul McCartney, which is happening Wednesday night. The security issue alone must be daunting. Word is that people began lining up outside the store last night, which is a full 48 hours before showtime. Wristbands will be given out starting at 12:30pm tomorrow. What are those first 150 people to line up like? I'm sure many flew in from other parts of the country. The store will close at 4pm for Sir Paul's sound check and when the doors open, Amoeba will be ready. Recently about 900 people attended a Patti Smith in-store. On August 28th, Amoeba launches their record label, with the release of Brandi Shearer's exquisite Close to Dark. If you haven't been to Amoeba while in LA, you're missing out on a wonderful music experience. Go there and you'll see why music is so important in our lives.