Morrissey at the Wellmont

above photo by Sean Salmon

original article in the montclarion

Usually people show up to a concert an hour or two early to feel their idol's sweat drops on them, but at the Wellmont Theatre on Monday, March 16, fans of Morrissey started to line up at 11 a.m. for his sold-out 8 p.m. show. As the line wrapped around onto Bloomfield Avenue, the doors opened, and the pastel-colored theatre was quickly filled with excited fans.

Red Cortez opened the show with explosive drum beats, smooth jangly guitar riffs echoed by the soulful voice of frontman Harley Prechtel. With Prechtel not wearing any shoes and the rest of the band in a Bohemian style, one would think that this was just another boring indie rock band, but Red Cortez fueled Morrissey fans with their upbeat songs and howling lyrics.

Shortly after Red Cortez's set, a mix of videos played on a white sheet that covered the awaited set. This mix included videos from '60s band Shocking Blue, Vince Taylor dancing the twist, the drunken "The 12 Daze of Christmas" and of course the infamous video of David Johansen of the New York Dolls smoking a "marijuana cigarette," which was the cue that the show was about to start.

As the white sheet dropped, five musicians, identically dressed in denim, started to play, and Morrissey came out to a vibrating uproar from the audience.

"I'm working on a dream," sang Morrissey, and then he quickly stopped and said, "No, I'm not."

Why was Morrissey tastefully mocking the chorus of Bruce Springsteen's recent single? It was his way of welcoming New Jersey, and it shows that after all these years, Morrissey's still as sharp as ever.

With a set list that ranged from songs of The Smiths to his most recent album, Years of Refusal, Morrissey didn't disappoint long-time fans waiting for that Smiths B-side, like "I Keep Mine Hidden," to be played.

While most solo artists' music tends to get dry and die out after time, Morrissey's new album is very loud and energetic. With songs like "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris," Morrissey demonstrates how his age hasn't given him any grief in his career.

After stripping off a number of button-down shirts and teasing the crowd with his bare chest, Morrissey threw them into the audience, causing havoc among fans.

A memorable image of the night was when a heart-shaped sweat mark formed on his back, showing that Morrissey really does sing his heart out to his fans when he plays.

After hilarious remarks from Morrissey in between songs, saying that all he knows about Montclair is there's a Whole Foods and asking what one does in the town, the crowd laughed at his witty gentleman-like humor.

Once the show was coming to an end, fans started to make their way to the stage doing whatever they could to get a hug from Morrissey, which is typical at his shows. One fan made it onto the stage, past the security guards and the large gap in between them and the audience. People pushed so hard that the barricades were going forward, causing a security guard to take the stage and tell everyone to move back before the encore.

Finishing his set with, "First of the Gang to Die," Morrissey left the stage, leaving fans mesmerized by his charm, gratitude and, of course, his music.

all other photos by o.J. Lopena

Lux Interior of the Cramps dies...

original article in the montclarion

Lux Interior, famous front man of the Cramps, died at 62 due to a pre-existing heart condition on Feb. 4.

The Cramps helped rockabilly get its way into the New York punk scene in the late '70s. With long-time fellow band mate and wife Poison Ivy, he created a sound and act that set them apart from the CBGB scene.

Though the line-up of drummers, bassists and guitarists has changed throughout the years, this didn't stop Interior and Ivy from touring and making albums with the same raw edge as they had years ago.

They have been considered to be the founders of psychobilly by some, which is a genre that is an incredible mash-up of rockabilly and punk music.

The Cramps have performed and recorded various covers ranging in artists and genres. They have explored rockabilly, surf and '60s garage rock. The Cramps made ghoulish interpretations out of anything from Peggy Lee's "Fever," to the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird."

One of their most popular songs was "Human Fly," where the Cramps give onomatopoeia meaning with Interior's buzzing and Ivy's echoing guitar. Other favorites are "I Was a Teenage Werewolf," "Goo Goo Muck" and "Garbage Man." It's hard to resist shaking one's hips or bobbing one's head to these tracks.

Their popularity was in its prime in the '80s, with their albums Psychedelic Jungle and Songs the Lord Taught Us.

With Interior's gender-bending fashion and horror-fueled lyrics accompanied by Ivy's mysterious glares, stage presence and guitar riffs, the Cramps put on a show that one would never forget.

Having memorable concerts like a free show at the California State Mental Hospital with patients dancing and singing along in 1978, to a show just as entertaining over 30 years later, the Cramps finished their most recent tour this past November.

Interior's infamous stage antics of stripping down to leopard print g-strings, shoving microphones in his mouth while singing during many songs and having those never-ending bottles of wine pour out of his lips; he made recent so-called shock rockers look like absolute amateurs.

Interior had also been an animal rights activist until his death. Instead of flowers, fans were asked to make donations to his favorite charity, Best Friends Animal Society.

The Cramps' official website said that Interior's death "was sudden, shocking and totally unexpected. Five days of heroic measures were unable to save him."

Leaving fans full of regret that they never went out to see the Cramps, or grateful that they got to see them in action(lucky me!), Interior will always be remembered as one of the most eccentric, creative and energetic frontmen and ring leaders of underground music culture.

b&w photo by Chad Johnson, colored by Stephen L Harlow

Estelle Bennet of the Ronettes Dies...

original article in the montclarion

With their dark, cat-eye makeup, high beehives and tight clothing, the Ronettes topped the charts with their hits "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You" in the '60s. Though their unique look may have set them apart from other girl groups, their music made them become one of the most memorable groups of all time.

One of the trio, Estelle Bennett, was found dead in her apartment in Englewood, N.J., on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Her cause of death is unknown; she was 67.

The Ronettes composed of Bennett sisters Ronnie and Estelle and their cousin Nedra Talley started in 1959 and broke up in 1966. Being from New York City, their big break was in 1961, when they were supposedly confused with another trio and put on stage at the infamous Peppermint Lounge. They covered Ray Charles' "What'd I Say," and their talent quickly stunned many as they worked their way up to getting a record deal.

The group helped producer and songwriter Phil Spector perfect his signature "wall of sound" technique. By having a layered echoing ensemble of instruments behind the group's candy-coated, yet fiery voices, Spector and the Ronettes created music that remains engrained in people's minds after all these years.

After making a few recordings as a solo artist following the Ronettes' split, Bennett stopped making music. Her life changed drastically from fortune to dealing with the hardships of mental illness.

Bennett hid from the public eye, struggling with anorexia and schizophrenia (according to Talley) after her fame with the Ronettes.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Bennett refused to perform for fear of being overwhelmed, but gave a quick "thank you" and an awkward, "I'm Estelle of the Ronettes," at her acceptance speech during the ceremony.

Even though Bennett was a backup singer in the Ronettes, she had played a big part in creating their image. The overdone eye makeup and tall beehives that the group made their trademark can still be seen on fashion runways and on artists like Amy Winehouse, showing that their classic look hasn't gone out of style.

Bennett's death has touched many fans, leaving them devastated, along with her sister, Ronnie Spector, who left a note on her website saying, "To my beloved sister, Rest in peace, You deserve it."

Leaving behind her daughter, three grandchildren and sister, the memories of her synchronized dance moves and timid, yet sweet stage presence as one of the Ronettes will never be forgotten.