Jeff Buckley : "Last Goodbye"

Do you remember when music wasn't all about flashy lights, crazy stage setups, singers rolling around in life sized hamster balls, and smoke machines? In the 60's and 70's there was just the music. You didn't necessarily need the "ambiance" of crazy lighting rigs and fog machines; or strobe lights and mirrors everywhere. The music spoke for itself. Sure, in cases like Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, YES, the psychedelic effect brought the listeners even deeper inside the music, but I challenge you to go home and put on Dark Side of the Moon at noon on a sunny day and see if you feel any different. And, by "feel any different" try not and compare it to a time when you "tried" to feel something different...if you catch my drift.

Music shouldn't need crazy lights, fog machines, etc...it should just need a few chord changes and some really, really well written songs. I love Phish. For all of you who know Phish, you know that the "best" part of their show is the lighting and stage setup. Don't get me wrong...this is one of the things I love about their shows, but the main thing is that their musicianship far exceeds the ability to make 14,000 120 watt light bulbs glow bright green in unison. It adds excitement, sure, but it doesn't add to the music. Why? Because a light doesn't make a sound, it just glows. A guitar can make a sound and glow on it's own, if played properly. As can a song.

The 80's kind of screwed us up because they were all about flash; guys dressed in drag singing about "Girls, Girls, Girls." Guy-liner was on every lead singer's eyes in every hair band, and the girl groups wore black and tried to look like the guys; leather everywhere and black lipstick. And, the songs were horrific for the most part...

Then we got to the 90's, and grunge hit. Pearl Jam NEVER had crazy lights at their shows. Go to youtube and type in "Pearl Jam live." It looks like they just showed up with their gear and plugged in. THAT is music. Just play. Are you paying $20 (back then) for a ticket and $10 to park, to go watch people turn lights on and off, or are you here to see a band play some rock n roll?

With that said, late 80's, early 90's was all about this man in my book. Jeff Buckley. Perhaps the best voice in the history of music in my mind, and perhaps the best songwriter in the history of music. He's most well known for his cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," but I love it all. Check out this performance in Chicago in 1995. 4 guys on a stage, no lights flashing, a smiling Buckley and an absolutely phenomenal song called "Last Goodbye."

We lost Buckley too early. He randomly and tragically drowned in 1997. Sad to see him go but his music lives on forever. Everyone from Thom Yorke (Radiohead) to Justin Timberlake pay homage to him in their songwriting and vocal stylings. Check out his high end, or falsetto. Also, check out the lights, that stay still throughout the song. Whoa. What a concept!

Cheers.