GLEE Redux • Nationals

Wow, this is the second hour of GLEE-TV we are getting tonight, and once all is said and done, there is only one more hour left for the season, and the senior class will be moving one. Some might come back to visit, and others will have a story Glee will continue to follow. But tonight, the New Directions head to Nationals, and see if they can make their dreams come true, and bring home a championship!

Clockwise: Celine Dion; The Who; Lady GaGa; Nicki Minaj; Queen; GroupLove; and Meat Loaf.

Mercedes comes down with food poisoning, and Sue is trying cold baths and Pedialyte to get her ready for the show. Coach Beiste comes to Mr. Schue, she needs his help. The kids are imploding downstairs, fighting like cats and dogs. He tells them to focus the passion, and it will help the performance. Outside, Rachel runs into Jesse St. James, who tries to shake her confidence. She doesn't let him, and tells him he will lose. Backstage at Nationals, Mr Schue is about to give his speech to the kids, but Finn stops him, and gives his own speech, explaining how Mr. Schue is the teacher of a lifetime, to the cheers of the kids. More cheers when Mercedes comes in the room, thanks to steroids, witch doctors, and Coach Sue. It is their last performance, and Mercedes wants all the girls to join her in a great performance. In the audience, the judges are announced, with a local politician, Lindsay Lohan, and Perez Hilton. Coach Bieste, Coach Sue, and Mr. Schue are freaking out, but soon the curtain opens, and the girls are singing "The Edge of Glory" by Lady GaGa.



They are met with a resounding ovation, and from the wings, Rachel sees that Madame Tibideaux isn't in the seat she reserved for her. Finn grabs her, and explains it is her moment, one she needs to take advantage of having. She walks out on stage, and sings Celine Dione's bombastic "It's All Coming Back to Me Now."



As she sings, she sees Madame Tibideaux taking her seat. After the song, she gets a standing ovation, including from Tibideaux. Quickly, Finn starts the next number, "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" by Meatloaf.



Of course, this song is so over-the-top, the very definition of bombastic,making it a natural for the kids. The audience was on their feet, clapping to the beat by the time they were halfway through. They crowd is in a frenzy, including Tibideaux, who is clapping and whistling. Kurt and Mercedes go to wish Unique to break a heel, but Unique is melting down. The pressure of being the only performer in drag, and everyone is looking at him, has finally gotten to him. They calm him down, offering support. They aren't really enemies, they tell him, that is not the way the New Directions roll. As they leave, he thinks he might need to transfer schools. Unique takes the stage in full drag, and sings "Starships" by Nicki Minaj.



Next up, Unique and Vocal Adrenaline launch into "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, from the seminal Rock Opera, Tommy.



At the end, they get a standing ovation, and the McKinley coaches look worried. The judges are meeting trying to name the top three groups, with Perez constantly blogging about Lohan, and the politician coming out of the closet as a show choir groupie. They are arguing, and no one knows what is going to happen. In the lobby, Jesse St. James stops Madame Tibideaux, to tell her that Rachel is the most talented person she would want to have in her program. She remembers his audition two years ago, and gives him a nice compliment. Back on the stage, it is time for the awards. Unique is named the MVP, an honor Rachel was hoping to get to make her NYADA dream come true. The Portland Scale-blazers are in third place. As tons of confetti falls, the New Directions are named National champions. There is screaming and hugging all around. This leaves Vocal Adrenaline in second place, and a handsome but disappointed Jesse St. James on stage empty handed.

After a commercial break, the kids and Mr. Schue walk into McKinley high, and are met with slushie cups filled with more confetti, and there is joyous celebration everywhere. Then we hear the kids sing "Tongue Tied" by Grouplove.



Thinks are happening, like Rachel being asked for an autograph, and Mr. Schue getting laid. They bring the trophy into the school, and put it in the case. They are smiling. Rachel and Finn are called into Principal Figgins' office, congratulated for winning. He also tells them he wishes kids didn't get married until they were 29. But he really wanted to invite the New Directions to sing at an event tomorrow. Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury are basking in the afterglow a day later, only to speak of their love, not lust. They are walking to the ceremony, Sue stops them to tell Mr. Schue she thinks she will be named teacher of the year. Mr. Schue agrees she deserves it, for helping the New Directions win at Nationals. In the auditorium, Principal Figgins brings out Finn and Rachel, who announce Mr. Schue was named Teacher of the Year. They both thank him sincerely, and then the curtain opens and the New Directions sing "We Are the Champions" by Queen.



The kids pull him up on stage, and there are hugs to everyone. Even Coach Sue is smiling, and singing along. Soon, the whole student body in the auditorium is on their feet, celebrating the music geeks and the geeky teacher with a standing ovation. Next week is the final episode of the season, looking at graduation and those final goodbyes...

Through The Years

Boldly going where few smart men have gone before, I thought the blogiversary would be a perfect opportunity to show that I have fallen victim to many of the style fads of the last 50 years, from the time when I was a mere child. The hair, the clothes, well, they say so much, don't they? To celebrate the fashion malfunctions, I thought I would just give some music that might capture that same period of time, starting when I was an infant in the playpen. The Who released an album and single of the same name in 1965, My Generation. OK, more of the time I am wearing the suit on the porch than playpen time, but you get it.



Somehow, I manage to skip the 70s, at least with pictures I have on my computer. The 80s are certainly represented, from the white jacket to the appearance of a major amount of hair. And since in one of those pictures I was wearing a Cure Head On The Door Tour t-shirt, it seemed only right to post a clip of The Cure singing Picture Of You, a truly beautiful and melancholy song.



In the 90s, I let the hair get longer and more wild, and was listening to Pearl Jam. I can't help it, I had a huge crush on Eddie Vedder. I was also listening to bands like Live, Origin, Depeche Mode, as well as singer/songwriters like the incredible Duncan Sheik. But I think it only fitting to celebrate the decade and the pictures with a live performance of Pearl Jam's Alive.



Come the new millennium, I know the focus of my musical passions turned toward the LGBT singer/songwriters, many of them in playing a variation of Folk/Pop/Rock. A leading example of this would be Eric Himan, from whom much of my fandom springs. You see, it seemed that first several people who opened for Eric, or played with him, became part of my collection. That would include Aiden James, Tom Goss, Levi Kreis and Andy Moore. And those talented people exposed me to others, like Jake Walden, Adrianne, Stewart Lewis, and others. Well, I'd like to pay tribute to my Music-Daddyman, Eric Himan singing No Urgency from his 2002 album I Go On...

A Couple From The Who

Top: Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

They practically set the bar for what was needed on the checklist for a rock and roll band in the 60s: Hunky singer with a set of pipes, check; skinny guitarist who is part mad genius, check; quiet but good bassist to anchor the crew, check; crazy-ass drummer who could wail on his drums, check. With all that, you have yourself a rock and roll band, my friends. And with Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon, you had it in spades. Well, this prototypical band released it's first album 46 years ago, in 1965. They put out a lot of great music, and I thought I would find a few of my favorites. I was only going to do one or two, but couldn't decide, so here we go. The first song we have is off the 1971 album, Who's Next. Like much of their music, it has an inherent layering of musical textures that was just brilliant to me. Here is Behind Blue Eyes.



I don't think there is a soul alive who hasn't heard of The Who's Tommy. In many ways, it was the first real "Rock Opera" written, although there are a few pretenders to the throne who would beg to differ. Released in 1969, Tommy was a brilliant record that was made to be performed, and was just as amazing when they played it was when the all-star cast in the movie did. Still, I love it when they do. So, here is The Pinball Wizard from Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970.



Of course, like every rock band at the end of the 60s, The Who played at one the penultimate concerts, Woodstock. One of the songs they decided to perform was the title track off their first album, released in 1965. This is My Generation.



In September of 1978, Keith Moon was found dead, the victim of an overdose. In 1982, Townshend was struggling with his own demons, and the band embarked on a Farewell Tour. It wasn't that long before they reunited for a very special event. In 1985, 20 years after they released their first hit single, the band came back together to play at Bob Geldof's Live Aid. Among the songs they played that day was the brilliant Won't Get Fooled Again, also from Who's Next.

Friday Night Party at Woodstock

From August 15 to August 18, 1969, a group of people dropped in to a small town in New York State, tune in to some amazing music, and drop out of the outside world, focusing only on what was to shortly become one of the seminal moments in music history, Woodstock. As I was only 9 years old, I didn't make it to Woodstock, but oh, how I wish I did. Some of the greatest musicians of the 60s and 70s made their way to the stage in the tiny hamlet of Bethel, New York. My generation had Live Aid, which was a different animal altogether. Live Aid was about musician coming together to raise money for a famine in Africa, and perform on televisions across the world, offering a two-way street. Woodstock, on the other hand, was a music festival, with act after act making their way to the stage, not a television camera in sight. Luckily, it was filmed, thanks to Michael Wadleigh's documentary. So, for your enjoyment on this Friday night, I offer up a few acts I just thought we should hear.



David, Stephen and Graham had only recently gotten together to form the group, and Woodstock was the first public performance of Crosby, Stills & Nash. Remarkable, really, as the guys all had some success in the music industry, but came together to form an entity that was quickly known by the initials CSN. Their sound combined the elements of folk and rock and their tight harmonies gave it all a bright veneer. Just give Suite: Judy Blue Eyes a listen and you'll see what I mean.



When you think of rockers with plenty of soul, you can't help but name Joe Cocker. While he had success, there are many in the music business who consider him one of the best rock vocalists of all time. Listening to his cover of With A Little Help From My Friends does little to dispel this theory. He does a magnificent job.



The Who were a name in the music business long before Woodstock, having a string of hits once I Can't Explain hits the airwaves in 1965. That list includes My Generation, also released that same year, and one of the 25 songs they played at Woodstock.



Janis Joplin played Woodstock with the Kozmic Blues Band, and practically shook the surrounding towns with the power of her performances. She was a standout with Work Me, Lord, and one would be hard-pressed to figure out if she was singing the hell out of the song, or if she was channeling the words through divine intervention.



Hope you enjoyed this trip to the past. Look for more Woodstock performances tomorrow night!

Worth Another Listen - The Who at the Superbowl

I thought it was a great halftime show, and it was great to see Roger looking so good at 65 years of age, and Pete not too bad either for 64. I have to admit I am a huge fan of the band, and have quite the crush on Daltrey. For the past several years, Daltrey and Townshend have been touring with Simon Townshend (rhythm guitar), Pino Palladino (bass), Zak Starkey (drums) and John "Rabbit" Bundrick (keyboards). It is a bit of a family affair, with Simon Townshend being Pete's little brother and Zak Starkey is the son of Beattles drummer Ringo Starr. So here they are, singing a medley of their greatest hits.

Superbowl Halftime 2010 - The Who

It is being widely discussed that British supergroup The Who will be playing the halftime of the 2010 Superbowl XLIV. Since both drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle have passed, that leaves guitarist Pete Townshend and singer Roger Daltrey to put on the show. With a catalog chock full of great songs, from My Generation to the soundtrack to Tommy, this should prove to be a show worth watching. And any time I get to see Roger Daltrey, let alone hear him, is a great thing. Here is a clip of The Who's 1978 song, Who Are You?.



And here are the boys with one of their first hits, 1965's I Can't Explain.



To find out what the who have been up to for the past 4 decades, check out their official website here.

Worth Another Listen - The Who

I love The Who, a band on the front end of the British Invasion. In the early 60s, Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle were in a band, the Detours, that was playing the pub & club circuit in the UK, making a living. After a few changes in the lineup, and the addition of drummer Keith Moon, they changed their name to The Who, and the rest is history.



I have to admit I am not a huge fan of The Beatles, nor a huge fan of the Rolling Stones. Sure, they both did some great things, and I don't 'hate' them by any means, I just had a thing for other bands. There was Led Zeppelin, still my all-time favorite band, and The Who that captured my heart. From their first release, My Generation, to Who's Next, to Quadrophenia, to Who Are You, their particular sound of rock was just the thing I loved. Well, that, and Roger Daltrey.



I mean, how beautiful was he? And he had that body and absolutely no problem with showing it off. He was the stuff of many a teenaged fantasy, I can tell you. But that was just a bonus, it was really about the music. They lost Keith Moon in 1978, and broke up in 1983, only to reform a couple of times. John Entwistle passed in 2002, but Roger and Pete still are around, and released Endless Wire in 2006. They are still touring from time to time.

The Who managed to play both Woodstock and Live Aid, two of the biggest concerts of Rock & Roll history. Here is a cliip from Woodstock, the encore presentation of My Generation.



The Who are on American TVs weekly, with their seminal song Baba O'Riley used by the CSI franchise as the theme song. The song has been bastardized for decades as I remember both fans and haterz alike calling it Teenaged Wasteband...



Not too surprising, but The Who have a website. You can visit it by clicking here.