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Post by Bernard on Sept 10, 2014 1:28:59 GMT -5
To achieve greatness and become a five-tool player in baseball, you have to hit, run, field, throw and hit for power. For three decades, Chuck Prophet has proven that he can channel pure pop hooks, write memorable lyrics, play lead guitar, sing like nobody else and still do everything necessary to make his music available to the world. He belongs in every hall of fame.
Somehow, I missed that half-hour video from KEXP in Seattle when the "Temple Beautiful" CD was released two years ago. Chuck -- who is also interviewed in two segments -- performs five songs from that wonderful album in the radio station's studio with his touring band, the Mission Express.
His new album, "Night Surfer," comes out September 23.
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Post by Bernard on Nov 23, 2014 5:14:11 GMT -5
I've been haunted by "Lonely Desolation" since Chuck Prophet's "Night Surfer" album came out two months ago, playing the song in my head when it wasn't spinning on one of my music players. Despite feeling neither lonely nor desolate, I can't get enough of these four minutes.
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Post by Bernard on Dec 14, 2014 4:48:41 GMT -5
To complement the video topping this page, here is Chuck Prophet's return to the KEXP studios last August to promote his new album.
I've had his "Night Surfer" CD on constant rotation for three full months. I've thought about buying the retro $4.99 cassette, just to change things up. Maybe someday I will be able to explain why this album is even better than "Temple Beautiful" two years ago with the same musicians -- including Prairie Prince on durms -- and the same production team, with only the addition of Peter Buck on guitar and a string section in Nashville. Meanwhile, I wait for Chuck and the Mission Express to perform here in Southern California again.
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Mar 19, 2016 1:42:32 GMT -5
Play That Song Again: Chuck Prophet's official video announcing an international tour with the Mission Express in 2013.I became a Chuck Prophet fan when he joined Green on Red at age 21 to play guitar on the L.A.-based group's best album in 1985, "Gas Food Lodging," and their flawless EP, "No Free Lunch." I've bought virtually every album of his since. As much as I loved that video three long years ago, I felt cheated. That year, the closest that Chuck played was a saloon in an Old West town north of Joshua Tree. Last year, his only Southern California date was a private party in April. I was not invited. All is forgiven. Chuck has booked a gig with the Mission Express -- and Garland Jeffreys! -- at the Bootleg Theater on Beverly near Alvarado in Echo Park. I had never heard of the "warehouse-style indie music venue," but I'll be there on Friday, April 22. Base price is only $13 -- even with the Ticketfly fee and mailing charge, my tickets came to less than $20 each. I hope that Garland, Chuck, Stephie and the boys are making enough money. Here's the link to the Bootleg Theater website: www.bootlegtheater.org/
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Apr 17, 2016 2:41:22 GMT -5
From Chuck Prophet's e-mail blast last Thursday: I'm also psyched about the show next Friday at the Bootleg Theater in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles. I sold Garland Jeffreys' first three albums when I worked at a record store in the 1970's -- though not enough of them, to be honest. I'm up for something special.
Last month, Chuck wrote and recorded "Alex Nieto" when the verdict in the notorious San Francisco civil case came down, then he posted the song immediately for streaming. It rocks:
soundcloud.com/chuckprophet/alex-nieto-chuck-prophet
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Apr 25, 2016 2:18:06 GMT -5
Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express play "You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)" in Mill Valley, CA on January 8, 2016.That might be the finest audience video of a performance by any artist that I've ever seen on You Tube. Nobody's posted anything from Friday night's concert so far, and there are only a few clips from earlier shows on the seven-date California tour, including a 13-minute embed on Garland Jeffreys' website. I somehow missed seeing Green on Red live in the 1980's and '90's, and I didn't catch up with Chuck again until he released "Temple Beautiful" in 2012, which paired with "Night Surfer" in 2014 comprise two of the greatest back to back albums in music history. But I really can't feel the artists until I'm immersed in the sound and joy of their music with 200 strangers. (I couldn't distinguish between fans of Garland Jeffreys and the Mission Express -- either most of us came for both acts or we were seduced by them together onstage.) Anni and I got to the Bootleg Theater on Beverly near Alvarado -- across the street from the shuttered Brooklyn Bagel factory -- at the 8:30 ticket time and spent the hour before the door opened with a dozen other folks our ages on the sidewalk. Younger people showed up later. Inside, there were a few seats if you reserved them: stools surrounding little round tables opposite the stage in the bar room. A counter in the back served craft beers. We were able to sit the on the lip of the stage until the show started an hour later. Meanwhile, I spoke with a fellow Mott the Hoople fan who looked a lot like Tim Finn. Only three years younger than me, he has lifelong friends who flew to London for the Mott the Hoople reunion in 2009. After establishing our initiation into Chuck Prophet’s music -- 1985 for me and 1988 for him -- I complained that Chuck skipped L.A. last year, only playing a private party at the Avalon Theater in March. Turns out that I was talking to the guy who got Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express hired for that gig -- he had recommended the band to his boss, who was hosting a party for their high tech video production company. Yet again, Los Angeles becomes a small town for fans who gather to hear our heroes live.
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Nov 16, 2016 2:34:16 GMT -5
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Post by brianderson on Feb 4, 2017 3:54:48 GMT -5
I'm a huge fan of Martin Lefkowitz, who produces some of the best audience videos that I've ever seen on You Tube. He's captured Chuck Prophet at various venues around Northern California with good sound and great camerawork that often takes in the entire band. Martin posted the clip below of "Just to See You Smile," Chuck's song from 2004 performed by him and the Mission Express on New Year's Eve 2016.
I preordered Chuck's new album from Yep Roc Records, which mailed the CD's well in advance of the official release date, February 10, as the label often does. My copy of "Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins" arrived today!
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Mar 23, 2017 0:47:50 GMT -5
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Jul 25, 2017 2:49:50 GMT -5
Chuck performs "We Got Up and Played" with a different band in this video released July 13.
Chuck just announced more U.S. and European concert appearances -- dates every month through the rest of the year -- and again no mention of Southern California. It's tough being a fan here, especially if you want to see him with the Mission Express. Chuck came to the Grammy Museum last April for a public interview and solo performance, but the last time he brought the band south was April 2016. The year before, they only played a private party in L.A.
One more thing, since I'm already feeling sorry for myself. Come September, Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express will open for Ian Hunter and the Rant Band at the Fillmore in San Francisco, which would be the dream concert bill of my life. I can't go. I'm seeing Ian at the Teragram Ballroom near downtown and the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Neither venue has named an opening act.
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Nov 17, 2017 2:22:19 GMT -5
Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express circa 2012.
My long wait will be over on December 28 when Chuck, Stephanie and the boys return to Los Angeles and the Bootleg Theater. I bought the ridiculously cheap $15 tickets when they went on sale last month:
www.bootlegtheater.org/event/1576901-chuck-prophet-mission-los-angeles/
I can never get enough of "You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)," the closing song of every set I've seen by Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express. Here is a broadcast quality clip from a performance in Germany in 2012 before an enthusiastic audience, which I just discovered on You Tube.
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on Jan 3, 2018 3:17:30 GMT -5
After touring the rest of the U.S. and most of Europe incessantly, Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express returned to Los Angeles on December 28 after 20 long months, appearing both tighter and looser simultaneously, relaxed yet fired up to have fun. Hopefully, the reaction from the Bootleg Theater crowd on a Thursday night will inspire them to play here more often. Their 16 song, one hour and 45 minute set concentrated on Chuck's last three brilliant albums, with a few familiar hits earlier this century and one affectionate cover: - Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins (2017)
- Open Up Your Heart (2017)
- Rider or the Train (2017)
- Bad Year for Rock and Roll (2017)
- Temple Beautiful (2012)
- You and Me Baby (Holding On) (2009)
- Ford Econoline (2014)
- Jesus Was a Social Drinker (2017)
- You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp) (2004)
- In the Mausoleum (for Alan Vega) (2017)
- I Felt Like Jesus (2012)
- Summertime Thing (2002)
- Countrified Inner-City Technological Man (2014)
- Wish Me Luck (2014)
- Willie Mays Is Up at Bat (2012)
- Shake Some Action (Flamin' Groovies cover)
Anni and I were first to line up, so we exchanged a few words with Chuck when he and Stephanie were leaving for dinner and again inside when they came back. So I should not have been surprised when Chuck addressed me in the audience for his traditional introduction of "You Did" as the "old timer" who needed to consider leaving the club if I had a heart condition, because the song could be dangerous to my health. If I had died after his guitar solo, it would have been O.K.
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brianderson
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Post by brianderson on May 27, 2018 1:01:51 GMT -5
Wow, I just found this amazing You Tube clip of Chuck Prophet performing "You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)" with Daryl Hall on his "Live from Daryl's House" TV show about a decade ago:
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Post by Bernard on Nov 1, 2019 2:37:05 GMT -5
Currently, only 21 tickets remain. With Chuck in Santa Monica on Friday and opening for Dave Alvin in Whittier on Saturday, I got excited when the Rubinoos announced a show at the Bootleg Theater on Sunday. Chuck produced their new album and co-wrote every song -- maybe he'd drop by. I've seen him there twice with the Mission Express. Instead, he's playing Humphrey's Backstage Live in San Diego. a 40-seat room where tickets are priced at $91. More intimate than McCabe's -- wish I could go. To give you an idea of what Chuck sounds like by himself, there's a livestream of him solo at Paste Studios in New York City nearly three years ago, with brief interviews before, during and after he performs "Bad Year for Rock and Roll," "Open Up Your Heart" and "Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins" from his then forthcoming album, still his most recent.
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Post by Bernard on Nov 17, 2019 4:13:25 GMT -5
Chuck Prophet's 18-song set list at McCabe's in Santa Monica on November 15 spanned the last two decades of his career. Two unnamed new songs are rendered below in lower case using key phrases from the tunes. He kicked off the evening with the B-side of the "Castro Halloween" single from "Temple Beautiful," one of the best albums recorded by anybody in the 2010's.
- I Call Your Name (2012)
- Wish Me Luck (2014)
- High as Johnny Thunders (new)
- Bad Year for Rock and Roll (2017)
- Storm Across the Sea (2002)
- Doubter Out of Jesus (All Over You) (2007)
- If I Was a Baby (2014)
- Jesus Was a Social Drinker (2017)
- Apology (1999, by request!)
- Ford Econoline (2014)
- Would You Love Me? (2007)
- Nixonland (new)
- Summertime Thing (2002)
- Love me like I want to be loved (new)
- The Left Hand & the Right Hand (2012)
- You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp) (2004)
- Get off the stage (new)
- Willie Mays Is Up at Bat (2012)
Chuck was fully engaged with the audience -- leading a couple of sing alongs, soliciting requests, telling stories and talking about what's going on with him and us -- all while stripping even his most electric songs to their bare acoustic essentials. He said that he wrote three songs about presidents Lincoln, Nixon and Trump for his forthcoming album and he played two of them. Chuck was born in Whittier, just like Nixon. His song about Trump, perhaps his most political composition, struck the right balance between recrimination and reconciliation. Will the refrain, "get off the stage," be accomplished before the album gets released? One can only hope. Just before Chuck Prophet took the stage at McCabe's last Friday, this video of his new song "High as Johnny Thunders" was posted on You Tube. Thunders, who died in 1991 at the age of 38, was the legendary guitarist with the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers. Here, Chuck performs at a nearly empty Make-Out Room in San Francisco with a magnificent band -- including violins!
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