When Your Music Snob Heroes Let You Down [Hammer of the Gods Version]
For the last year or so, I have been championing Chuck Klosterman as the ultimate 'Pop Culture / Music Snob" Heir to the thorny crown of Lester Bangs Writer, but I am going to have to re-think this.
On page 90 of the latest collection IV, Chuck has the unmitigated Audacity to claim that Houses of the Holy is Led Zeppelin's greatest album. The album with The Song Remains the Same, Over the Hills and Far Away and D'yer M'ker. ["Oh oh oh oh... oh oh - you don't have to go - oh oh oh oh..."] The only Zep NOT in my collection. Yeah, it has The Rain Song, The Crunge, No Quarter and The Ocean, but I NEVER put it on for pleasure listening; usually only to tape The Ocean, really. I really put on Coda more often. So I sold it to Half Price. And I don't miss it. [Just a side note to Coda - Zep could have sold about a million more copies if they'd added The Immigrant Song B-side Hey Hey What Can I Do.]
Just for the record, I'm going to go with their first as their absolute best. When I Was 18, I'd have said IV, but this is 20+ and another half a million spins of Stairway to Heaven later. That first Zep just has such POWER. II is good, but Moby Dick?
Still, Chuck makes a great observation on page 14 about interviewing Britney Spears:
"After I spent my time with Spears, people kept asking me 'What's she really like?' My answer was "I don't know and I don't think she does either. And that's not sarcasm; I honestly believe Britney was so insulated from the public (and so exhaustively governed by the people trying to control her image) that she became unable to differentiate between A.) the person who was famous and B.) the person she actually was."
I'm just saying - be careful how much stock you put in your heroes.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What the Hell?
Guitarist Keith Richards has demanded that two Swedish newspapers apologize to the Rolling Stones and their fans in Sweden for stinging reviews of the band's performance at a concert in Gothenburg.
"Never before have I risen to the bait of a bad review," the veteran rock star said in a statement released on Wednesday.
"But this time ... I have to stand up for our incredible Gothenburg audience and for our fans all over Sweden ... to say that you owe them, and us, an apology."
A review in the newspaper Expressen said 63-year-old Richards, renowned for his haggard looks and tales of excess, appeared "very drunk" during the August 3 performance in Sweden's second-largest city.
The Rolling Stones ended the two-year "Bigger Bang" world tour last Sunday in London.
Earlier this month, Richards toppled over on stage at another show in Helsinki.
In a statement sent to the newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet by the group's promoter in Sweden, the British musician said the press had abused its power.
"You have a duty to wield the power of the press with honesty and integrity. There were 56,000 people in Ullevi stadium who bought a ticket to our concert -- and experienced a completely different show than the one you 'reviewed'."
He added: "How dare you cheapen the experience for them -- and for the hundreds of thousands of other people across Sweden who weren't at Ullevi and have only your 'review' to go on."
The statement, a copy of which was provided to Reuters by the promoter, concluded: "Write the truth. It was a good show."
First, what the hell are the Stones reading their reviews for? Ego tripping?
Second, they are demanding an apology of someone's OPINION? Even as a music snob, I believe you have the right to your own opinion - but if you don't agree with me, you're an IDIOT. But you can have your opinion.
Third, what happened to THE STONES WITHSTAND: Divorce * Slander * Rip-Offs * Slagging * Under-Age Sex * Alcohol * Drugs * like it says on the Voodoo Lounge tees and
posters?
One More Thing On My Mind
I was thinking about how many people were disappointed by the ending of The Sopranos - as in the final show. You know, how it really wasn't an ending, no shootouts, no one knowing if Tony survives to be king of New Jersey or whatever. It's just kind of "and they went on with their lives.
People want stories they invest their time into to have a neat little wrapped in a bow like a present Ending. Whether is be "And the lived happily ever after.." or "Meadow identified the two burnt bodies pulled from the SUV as her parents." But why should our stories have a nice neat end when life doesn't have a nice neat end? People get divorced, die in car crashes, become alcoholics or addicts and some live a nice quiet happy life 'til their end. It's an unknown and that's what makes life precious, right? We don't know how much time we get, so make every minute count.
I will say this -I watched The Sopranos until the season became shorter and it took a year and a half between seasons. I walked away in the middle of the story. And I didn't drop dead from not 'knowing' how it ended. People walk away from ball games [baseball, football, etc] not knowing the final score. Why should this be any different?
Monday, August 13, 2007
Preaching to the Converted
If you are not a fan of the Black Crowes, you will probably not be searching out and buying the lastest offering from the Crowes camp. Packaged as Brothers of A Feather after the Robinson brothers [Chris and Rich] "solo" tour of 2006, Live at the Roxy offers a unique view of the Crowes songs, the brothers solo works and the interplay of the brothers themselves.
The first surprise of the whole set is opening with an obscure Crowes song like Horsehead. While it offers some great slide work from Rich and fantastic backing vocals from Mona Lisa Young and Charity White, it's an unhappy song about watching a friend slip down the spiral of heroin addiction. Not exactly the type of song one would usually open with. Of course, the brothers have never been afraid to take chances. Next comes a lovely working of one of my faves from Amorica, Cursed Diamond, Rich playing great on a 12-string, then a cover of John Martin's Over the Hill. I'm not familiar with the song, but it souonds like it could be a tale right out of Chris Robinson's own travails. The boys then unveil a middling new song, Magic Rooster Blues, and then dust off a fantastic reading My Heart's Killing Me [from the unreleased Band (until The Lost Crowes popped up)]. Up next is A song from Rich's brilliant solo CD Paper, Forgiven Song. On the record, Rich had to do his own high harmonies, but here Chris nails them perfectly. Next the do a Chris original, Someday Past the Sunset, then a tribute to Lowell George in covering Roll Um Easy, and another new song Cold Boy Smile. This one has potential and I'd be curious to hear a full studio rendition. They roll into a song Chris credits learning from a Tom Rush album, Driving Wheel which is another tasteful cover. Rich leads off another solo song, Leave It Alone, then they cover Gene Clark's Polly and then dive into the Crowes catalog again for the Southern Harmony B-side Darling of the Underground Press, which is interesting and shows off Rich's slide work but really needs a band to give it power. The set closes with my favorite Crowes [and my unofficial theme] song, Thorn In My Pride. The first couple of times you hear it, you miss Eddie Harsch's organ and Marc Ford and Rich's screaming solos, but then it dawns on you how much of the band Rich is covering for with just one guitar. Then Chris pulls out a harmonica and the two go into a nice Midnight Rambler style vamp in a send up to the Stones, then Rich goes into Sunday Morning Buttermilk Waltz/extended vamp before riding back into the ending of the song.
As I say, it's reach is probably not going to be far beyond the Black Crowes fan base, but it's a great Musician's Musicians type CD. Just two vetrans of the music wars and a couple of guitars.
If you are not a fan of the Black Crowes, you will probably not be searching out and buying the lastest offering from the Crowes camp. Packaged as Brothers of A Feather after the Robinson brothers [Chris and Rich] "solo" tour of 2006, Live at the Roxy offers a unique view of the Crowes songs, the brothers solo works and the interplay of the brothers themselves.
The first surprise of the whole set is opening with an obscure Crowes song like Horsehead. While it offers some great slide work from Rich and fantastic backing vocals from Mona Lisa Young and Charity White, it's an unhappy song about watching a friend slip down the spiral of heroin addiction. Not exactly the type of song one would usually open with. Of course, the brothers have never been afraid to take chances. Next comes a lovely working of one of my faves from Amorica, Cursed Diamond, Rich playing great on a 12-string, then a cover of John Martin's Over the Hill. I'm not familiar with the song, but it souonds like it could be a tale right out of Chris Robinson's own travails. The boys then unveil a middling new song, Magic Rooster Blues, and then dust off a fantastic reading My Heart's Killing Me [from the unreleased Band (until The Lost Crowes popped up)]. Up next is A song from Rich's brilliant solo CD Paper, Forgiven Song. On the record, Rich had to do his own high harmonies, but here Chris nails them perfectly. Next the do a Chris original, Someday Past the Sunset, then a tribute to Lowell George in covering Roll Um Easy, and another new song Cold Boy Smile. This one has potential and I'd be curious to hear a full studio rendition. They roll into a song Chris credits learning from a Tom Rush album, Driving Wheel which is another tasteful cover. Rich leads off another solo song, Leave It Alone, then they cover Gene Clark's Polly and then dive into the Crowes catalog again for the Southern Harmony B-side Darling of the Underground Press, which is interesting and shows off Rich's slide work but really needs a band to give it power. The set closes with my favorite Crowes [and my unofficial theme] song, Thorn In My Pride. The first couple of times you hear it, you miss Eddie Harsch's organ and Marc Ford and Rich's screaming solos, but then it dawns on you how much of the band Rich is covering for with just one guitar. Then Chris pulls out a harmonica and the two go into a nice Midnight Rambler style vamp in a send up to the Stones, then Rich goes into Sunday Morning Buttermilk Waltz/extended vamp before riding back into the ending of the song.
As I say, it's reach is probably not going to be far beyond the Black Crowes fan base, but it's a great Musician's Musicians type CD. Just two vetrans of the music wars and a couple of guitars.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Here ' Tis
Here AT LAST is the 40th birthday picture - yes, THE. My sister's hard drive crashed so we've probably lost the others, unless Kelly sends some more.
In front: Jim Dunnigan, Nate Fowler
Middle: Kelly Lynch, Vicki Meglemre, Peter Mannery
Back: Scot M, the birthday kid
Oh and it's still daylight out, so we haven't hit our stride yet...
The saddest thing about being on the evening shift and working both major weekend nights is that when I finally get off at 1100 and get home [1130ish] - you all are all ready well into whatever you have going for the night or you're all ready passed out.
Me and my beer and High Fidelity DVD - and a couple of you may get calls... I need some action tonight! I need to howl at the moon and sing and laugh and a snog would be nice [look it up on wikepedia, I had to] -
I watched Say Anything last week; ah to be young and playing tonsil hockey in a car or in a hot tub again, to feel warm flesh against mine, electrical shocks where bodies, hands and mouths meet, reckless romance under the moon and stars, forging bonds and pouring out hopes and dreams.... to be young and in love again....
God damn, I'm going to have to turn off High Fidelity. Sometimes it hits too close. I DID make tapes to impress others, I'd tape Motown comps and box sets into a perfectly flowing Chaz mix to throw down in the store on a Saturday morning or go home and string together 60s and 70s blues and blues/rock like [the original Peter Green led] Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Winter and Allman Brothers and John Mayall and Rory Gallagher and Muddy and Wolf and Yarbirds and WHIP IT OUT in some macho quest for the approval of the other music snobs at Forever Young.
I've had the "Who the fuck is Ian? We don't know anyone named Ian!" moment. I've had the Charlie Nicholson "this chick is too hot/ smart/ beautiful / worldy wise / sex goddess / mature / insert word for hot for me." I've dated and dumped the Penny Hardwick girl. I've slept with the Sarah Kendrew. Have I dated the Laura? I know a couple people like that, but dated? I don't think so. I've never committed myself enough to get to that point. I know that's a shocking sentence to a lot of you... NOT!
Yeah, my life is a series of John Cusak movies - except "I FREAKED OUT, I JOINED THE ARMY AND BECAME A HIT MAN!!!"
Would I like to go back to New Year's Eve 1989/1990 again? To be in that bed with her again alone in that apartment? Or would I just like to know if she really cared the way she said and got tired of waiting for me to make up my mind? Would I like to be in another apartment a year before or two year later with someone else who though I was something while I was pining for someone else who didn't and really realize what was going on and...
Okay, no more beers... well that's a lie, probably more beers but no more blogging and crying in my beers. Change the movie and tell myself tomorrow is another day. Oh God, Lisa Bonet - the worst thing that could happen. Caterwauling, ruining a Peter Frampton song I can't even listen to anymore because it's overplayed to death and yes, she makes the evening WORSE. Yes even worse than these memories and regrets crawling though my mind.
Time for another beer. SALEH!
Me and my beer and High Fidelity DVD - and a couple of you may get calls... I need some action tonight! I need to howl at the moon and sing and laugh and a snog would be nice [look it up on wikepedia, I had to] -
I watched Say Anything last week; ah to be young and playing tonsil hockey in a car or in a hot tub again, to feel warm flesh against mine, electrical shocks where bodies, hands and mouths meet, reckless romance under the moon and stars, forging bonds and pouring out hopes and dreams.... to be young and in love again....
God damn, I'm going to have to turn off High Fidelity. Sometimes it hits too close. I DID make tapes to impress others, I'd tape Motown comps and box sets into a perfectly flowing Chaz mix to throw down in the store on a Saturday morning or go home and string together 60s and 70s blues and blues/rock like [the original Peter Green led] Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Winter and Allman Brothers and John Mayall and Rory Gallagher and Muddy and Wolf and Yarbirds and WHIP IT OUT in some macho quest for the approval of the other music snobs at Forever Young.
I've had the "Who the fuck is Ian? We don't know anyone named Ian!" moment. I've had the Charlie Nicholson "this chick is too hot/ smart/ beautiful / worldy wise / sex goddess / mature / insert word for hot for me." I've dated and dumped the Penny Hardwick girl. I've slept with the Sarah Kendrew. Have I dated the Laura? I know a couple people like that, but dated? I don't think so. I've never committed myself enough to get to that point. I know that's a shocking sentence to a lot of you... NOT!
Yeah, my life is a series of John Cusak movies - except "I FREAKED OUT, I JOINED THE ARMY AND BECAME A HIT MAN!!!"
Would I like to go back to New Year's Eve 1989/1990 again? To be in that bed with her again alone in that apartment? Or would I just like to know if she really cared the way she said and got tired of waiting for me to make up my mind? Would I like to be in another apartment a year before or two year later with someone else who though I was something while I was pining for someone else who didn't and really realize what was going on and...
Okay, no more beers... well that's a lie, probably more beers but no more blogging and crying in my beers. Change the movie and tell myself tomorrow is another day. Oh God, Lisa Bonet - the worst thing that could happen. Caterwauling, ruining a Peter Frampton song I can't even listen to anymore because it's overplayed to death and yes, she makes the evening WORSE. Yes even worse than these memories and regrets crawling though my mind.
Time for another beer. SALEH!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Pennsylvania Blues
As I said, I was just in Pennsylvania to see my grandparents and other relatives and spend some time out of the rat race [and out of the rain for the most part]. My grandfather is 87. My grandmother is 85. Grandpap sits and watches TV in his chair and he uses a wheelchair to get around his house most of the time. He's not happy that his body will no longer do what he thinks it should be able to. Grandma still gets around okay, if a little slower than she used to.
I always though my grandfather was Superman and knew everything. I know now it is not so. In the last three years since I was there, he has slipped further and further down the road of old age. When he does stand he is very stopped over, his hands shake more at the table and the twinkle of life that used to be there in his eyes is gone. He is on the last road and he knows it.
Grandma is worn out from having to take care of grandpap all day. She can still go up and down the steps and get on and off the swing out front, but it's getting harder. She doesn't complain like he does, but I know she has her own aches. She needs to rest more than she does. I know everyone worries about 'Pap because he seems worse in his debilitated condition, but I fear we're overlooking her.
The swings seem more shocking when you aren't around a lot. My impressions of their aging are based on a week in their house every couple of years. How would I feel if I watched this every day or every week?
I mentioned recently about my great aunt Cecilia and uncle Donnie passed within a few weeks of each other. They lived at the top of the hill where my grandparents live. I walked up the hill one afternoon I was there just to look around and think about them. The house is there empty, Donnie's swing just as he left it with the blanket he sat on - that distinctive nasal voice will never boom out a greeting to me as I come up the hill, those mischievous eyes will never twinkle under that aged white haired flat top as he tells me how good his grandchildren are doing. Soon, someone else will live in that house, probably one of their kids or grandchildren. Things will be redone, modernized rearranged and changed - it will never be the place I remember again. So I walked around and locked things into my memory; the same as sitting on grandpaps swing sipping coffee, watching the traffic flow on a cool morning and smelling the clover.
My grandparents living room has about 100 photographs - on walls, end tables, TV stands, anywhere a picture will fit. Pictures from the last five decades, their brothers, sisters and parents, some gone, some still around. The kids, my aunts and uncles; the grandkids, me and my cousins; the great-grandchildren... and themselves of course. Photos of graduations, reunions, weddings and portraits, all kinds of photos and the photos keep coming. My cousins and I are the age a lot of our parents were in a lot of these photos - thirty or so to mid-forties. My cousins oldest kids are now graduating high school and going off to college or careers! My aunts and uncles show the signs of aging, gray hairs and a little paunch here and there, but everyone I saw still carried themselves very well.
But I looked around this living room, this ongoing living breathing monument of their legacy... and I just wondered what would become of it all. I've oft lamented the physical and emotional distance between me and my cousins - it's hard to friends with your relatives when they're 1300 miles away. I know I don't have much in common with them nor my aunts and uncles - I don't know the people or the area. I kind of liken it to someone you went to high school with that you run into every couple of years. I like seeing my cousins and I am interested in what they are doing, but somehow I don't find the effort to communicate to them - even by email.
I wonder what will become of this house when the patriarchs are gone. Even now, it has not been changed much since I can remember. I can sit and remember cousins playing records and dancing in uncle Dicks room and killer games of croquet up behind the house and the big maple that's been gone for the last decade but used to hold the hammock and chasing fireflies in the summer and having a root beer float before bed like some mythical time warp to an endless summer where you're always 12 or 13.
Someday - sooner rather than later - it will all be just a memory.
As I said, I was just in Pennsylvania to see my grandparents and other relatives and spend some time out of the rat race [and out of the rain for the most part]. My grandfather is 87. My grandmother is 85. Grandpap sits and watches TV in his chair and he uses a wheelchair to get around his house most of the time. He's not happy that his body will no longer do what he thinks it should be able to. Grandma still gets around okay, if a little slower than she used to.
I always though my grandfather was Superman and knew everything. I know now it is not so. In the last three years since I was there, he has slipped further and further down the road of old age. When he does stand he is very stopped over, his hands shake more at the table and the twinkle of life that used to be there in his eyes is gone. He is on the last road and he knows it.
Grandma is worn out from having to take care of grandpap all day. She can still go up and down the steps and get on and off the swing out front, but it's getting harder. She doesn't complain like he does, but I know she has her own aches. She needs to rest more than she does. I know everyone worries about 'Pap because he seems worse in his debilitated condition, but I fear we're overlooking her.
The swings seem more shocking when you aren't around a lot. My impressions of their aging are based on a week in their house every couple of years. How would I feel if I watched this every day or every week?
I mentioned recently about my great aunt Cecilia and uncle Donnie passed within a few weeks of each other. They lived at the top of the hill where my grandparents live. I walked up the hill one afternoon I was there just to look around and think about them. The house is there empty, Donnie's swing just as he left it with the blanket he sat on - that distinctive nasal voice will never boom out a greeting to me as I come up the hill, those mischievous eyes will never twinkle under that aged white haired flat top as he tells me how good his grandchildren are doing. Soon, someone else will live in that house, probably one of their kids or grandchildren. Things will be redone, modernized rearranged and changed - it will never be the place I remember again. So I walked around and locked things into my memory; the same as sitting on grandpaps swing sipping coffee, watching the traffic flow on a cool morning and smelling the clover.
My grandparents living room has about 100 photographs - on walls, end tables, TV stands, anywhere a picture will fit. Pictures from the last five decades, their brothers, sisters and parents, some gone, some still around. The kids, my aunts and uncles; the grandkids, me and my cousins; the great-grandchildren... and themselves of course. Photos of graduations, reunions, weddings and portraits, all kinds of photos and the photos keep coming. My cousins and I are the age a lot of our parents were in a lot of these photos - thirty or so to mid-forties. My cousins oldest kids are now graduating high school and going off to college or careers! My aunts and uncles show the signs of aging, gray hairs and a little paunch here and there, but everyone I saw still carried themselves very well.
But I looked around this living room, this ongoing living breathing monument of their legacy... and I just wondered what would become of it all. I've oft lamented the physical and emotional distance between me and my cousins - it's hard to friends with your relatives when they're 1300 miles away. I know I don't have much in common with them nor my aunts and uncles - I don't know the people or the area. I kind of liken it to someone you went to high school with that you run into every couple of years. I like seeing my cousins and I am interested in what they are doing, but somehow I don't find the effort to communicate to them - even by email.
I wonder what will become of this house when the patriarchs are gone. Even now, it has not been changed much since I can remember. I can sit and remember cousins playing records and dancing in uncle Dicks room and killer games of croquet up behind the house and the big maple that's been gone for the last decade but used to hold the hammock and chasing fireflies in the summer and having a root beer float before bed like some mythical time warp to an endless summer where you're always 12 or 13.
Someday - sooner rather than later - it will all be just a memory.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Not So Quick Hits : NHL Free Agency
Okay, I've been out of town so my analysis has been slow to come, but a lot has happened in the 8 days since the NHL summer free agent period began.
Nashville has thrown in the towel. After overpaying for Peter Forsberg last year, the Preds continued shipping talent to Philadelphia with the trade of potential free agents defenseman Kimmo Timonen and winger Scott Hartnell, [both of whom skipped free agency to sign for big bucks to stay in Philly] for one first round pick. Then they shipped off goalie Tomas Vokun to the Florida Panthers for more draft picks and allowed leading scorer Paul Kariya to jump to the St. Louis Blues. What have the picked up to fill their depleted ranks? Radek Bonk, a 31 year old journeyman who has put up 44 points in the last two year and jouorneyman defenseman Greg de Vries, a decent stay at home defenseman who at least has a Stanley Cup on his resume from Colorado [2001]. But this team has lost too much firepower. They grew intro a team that was contending in only 8 years to a group in disarray due to the sale of the team. Want to know what happens in a situation like this? Look at the St. Louis Blues the last two years. Although the mixed news for Nashville fans [Marty and Mark], is that it appears Canadian billionaire Jim Basillie and his idea of moving the team to Hamilton ON are out of the mix but California businessman William De Biaggo is in and has a deal in place to move a team to Kansas City where the team will not have to pay rent on the arena there. De Baggio was also in the running to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins for the same purpose. Stay tuned.
The Pennsylvania teams make splashes. Philly continues to try and rebound from a horrid year last year by signing coveted center Daniel Briere from Buffalo and stripping the Edmonton Oilers of defenseman Jason Smith and winger Joffrey Lupul [the key to the deal that sent Chris Pronger to Anahiem and the Stanley Cup]. They Probably don't have enough to truly contand this year, especially with Derian Hatcher still there, but add some slick skaters in Lupul, Timonen, Scotty Upshall [last years acquisition for Forsberg] and the always dangerous when healthy Simone Gagne and they will be a spoil someone's playoff run this year and regain the respectability they lost after the lockout.
Pittsburgh on the other hand didn't have to make a big splash, just add a couple of pieces to their young run and gun team and maintain the status quo. What they added was veteran presence by convincing ancient warriors Gary Roberts and Mark 'Wrecking Ball' Recchi to play another year and bringing in a true two way defenseman in bringing Daryl Sydor from Dallas. I think Sydor will be a key as he was in Tampa Bay; he knows how to pick his spots and he's a dedicated defensive player - unlike say Sergei Gonchar. Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero knows where his bread and butter is: sign young talent to long term deals ASAP and just work the free agents for fringe elements. Good move, Ray!
Buffalo and the NY Islanders dismantled. Buffalo, the team I thought would come from the East last year lost their top two centers, Daniel Brier to Philly and Chris Drury to the NY Rangers [who also added set up man Scott Gomez from New Jersey to feed their great wingers] and paid heavily to match a 7 year, $50 million offer for 43 goal man Thomas Vanek. Yes, they still have great wingers and Ryan Miller in goal, but they haven't yet made a move for a center. I would have thought that they would make a run at Jarmir Jagr's set up man Michael Nylander since he got the boot, but Nylander went to Washington instead to set up Alex Ovechkin or their emerging second sniper Alexander Semin.
Last years Cinderella team, despite having Alexei Yashin, the NY Islanders came away a shell of themselves in two days. Last years acquisition and hoped for new captain left wing Ryan Smith bolted for Colorado, right wing Jason Blake bolted for big dollars in Toronto, decent center Victor Kozlov and defenceman Tom Poti both jumped to the Washington Capitals and the team FINALLY got rid of the albatross of the underachieving Yashin by buying out his contract. Unfortunately the dollars they saved in that buyout were supposed to be used to keep Smyth and Blake. Whoops. Signing aging but honarable winger Bill Guerin and enigmatic center Mike Comrie is not going to restock the shelf enough.
Bits and Pieces: LA appeared to make a move by bringing in defensemen Brad Stuart from Calgary and Tom Priessing from Ottawa and forwards Ladislav Nagy [whom is is hoped will regain the form he had before the lockout] from Dallas and center Michael Handzus from Chicago, but they are still a year or two from having their young core in place ala Pittsburgh. But keep and eye on their dynamic young winger Anze Kopitar - he is the real deal.
I also like that Anahiem resigned J.S. Gigure immediately and didn't wait for Scott Neidermeyer or Teemu Sellane to take their time considering retirement. They immediately grabbed fantastic point man Mathieu Schnieder from Detroit [who in turn grabbed NJ Devils only offensive defenseman Brian Rafalski to replace Schnieder] and Todd Bertuzzi to be ready to fill those holes. Bertuzzi, if he returns to pre-lockout form will finally give the Ducks someone who goes to the net and makes defensemen miserable. Which would be best for Big Bert these days - quit being a rushing winger and play the Tomas Holmstrom / Dino Ciccerelli crease lizard and stuff home the garbage. And if Neidermeyer and / or Sellane do return, you have assets that can be used to pile up draft picks.
I will say this - watching Ryan Smyth and Joe Sakic work together in Colorado will be a lot of fun. I though Colorado had the gas to knock Calgary out of the playoff last season, but they came up one game short. If their fantastic young center Paul Stastny can maintain the level head he had last year and get Milan Hejduk back up the the 90-100 point level, the Avs are going to be a tough team for someone come April.
Who's left? The biggest name out there is Montreal defenseman Sheldon Souray. A 100 mph blast from the point is a great thing to have on offense, but like just like Bryan McCabe [the summer 06 defenseman with shot] he can be a defensive liability at times, which is why GM [and 4 time Selke Winner as best defensive forward] Bob Gainey let him walk. Make no mistake, he will get his big bucks somewhere, but don't count on this guy to win you the Cup.
Okay, I've been out of town so my analysis has been slow to come, but a lot has happened in the 8 days since the NHL summer free agent period began.
Nashville has thrown in the towel. After overpaying for Peter Forsberg last year, the Preds continued shipping talent to Philadelphia with the trade of potential free agents defenseman Kimmo Timonen and winger Scott Hartnell, [both of whom skipped free agency to sign for big bucks to stay in Philly] for one first round pick. Then they shipped off goalie Tomas Vokun to the Florida Panthers for more draft picks and allowed leading scorer Paul Kariya to jump to the St. Louis Blues. What have the picked up to fill their depleted ranks? Radek Bonk, a 31 year old journeyman who has put up 44 points in the last two year and jouorneyman defenseman Greg de Vries, a decent stay at home defenseman who at least has a Stanley Cup on his resume from Colorado [2001]. But this team has lost too much firepower. They grew intro a team that was contending in only 8 years to a group in disarray due to the sale of the team. Want to know what happens in a situation like this? Look at the St. Louis Blues the last two years. Although the mixed news for Nashville fans [Marty and Mark], is that it appears Canadian billionaire Jim Basillie and his idea of moving the team to Hamilton ON are out of the mix but California businessman William De Biaggo is in and has a deal in place to move a team to Kansas City where the team will not have to pay rent on the arena there. De Baggio was also in the running to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins for the same purpose. Stay tuned.
The Pennsylvania teams make splashes. Philly continues to try and rebound from a horrid year last year by signing coveted center Daniel Briere from Buffalo and stripping the Edmonton Oilers of defenseman Jason Smith and winger Joffrey Lupul [the key to the deal that sent Chris Pronger to Anahiem and the Stanley Cup]. They Probably don't have enough to truly contand this year, especially with Derian Hatcher still there, but add some slick skaters in Lupul, Timonen, Scotty Upshall [last years acquisition for Forsberg] and the always dangerous when healthy Simone Gagne and they will be a spoil someone's playoff run this year and regain the respectability they lost after the lockout.
Pittsburgh on the other hand didn't have to make a big splash, just add a couple of pieces to their young run and gun team and maintain the status quo. What they added was veteran presence by convincing ancient warriors Gary Roberts and Mark 'Wrecking Ball' Recchi to play another year and bringing in a true two way defenseman in bringing Daryl Sydor from Dallas. I think Sydor will be a key as he was in Tampa Bay; he knows how to pick his spots and he's a dedicated defensive player - unlike say Sergei Gonchar. Pittsburgh GM Ray Shero knows where his bread and butter is: sign young talent to long term deals ASAP and just work the free agents for fringe elements. Good move, Ray!
Buffalo and the NY Islanders dismantled. Buffalo, the team I thought would come from the East last year lost their top two centers, Daniel Brier to Philly and Chris Drury to the NY Rangers [who also added set up man Scott Gomez from New Jersey to feed their great wingers] and paid heavily to match a 7 year, $50 million offer for 43 goal man Thomas Vanek. Yes, they still have great wingers and Ryan Miller in goal, but they haven't yet made a move for a center. I would have thought that they would make a run at Jarmir Jagr's set up man Michael Nylander since he got the boot, but Nylander went to Washington instead to set up Alex Ovechkin or their emerging second sniper Alexander Semin.
Last years Cinderella team, despite having Alexei Yashin, the NY Islanders came away a shell of themselves in two days. Last years acquisition and hoped for new captain left wing Ryan Smith bolted for Colorado, right wing Jason Blake bolted for big dollars in Toronto, decent center Victor Kozlov and defenceman Tom Poti both jumped to the Washington Capitals and the team FINALLY got rid of the albatross of the underachieving Yashin by buying out his contract. Unfortunately the dollars they saved in that buyout were supposed to be used to keep Smyth and Blake. Whoops. Signing aging but honarable winger Bill Guerin and enigmatic center Mike Comrie is not going to restock the shelf enough.
Bits and Pieces: LA appeared to make a move by bringing in defensemen Brad Stuart from Calgary and Tom Priessing from Ottawa and forwards Ladislav Nagy [whom is is hoped will regain the form he had before the lockout] from Dallas and center Michael Handzus from Chicago, but they are still a year or two from having their young core in place ala Pittsburgh. But keep and eye on their dynamic young winger Anze Kopitar - he is the real deal.
I also like that Anahiem resigned J.S. Gigure immediately and didn't wait for Scott Neidermeyer or Teemu Sellane to take their time considering retirement. They immediately grabbed fantastic point man Mathieu Schnieder from Detroit [who in turn grabbed NJ Devils only offensive defenseman Brian Rafalski to replace Schnieder] and Todd Bertuzzi to be ready to fill those holes. Bertuzzi, if he returns to pre-lockout form will finally give the Ducks someone who goes to the net and makes defensemen miserable. Which would be best for Big Bert these days - quit being a rushing winger and play the Tomas Holmstrom / Dino Ciccerelli crease lizard and stuff home the garbage. And if Neidermeyer and / or Sellane do return, you have assets that can be used to pile up draft picks.
I will say this - watching Ryan Smyth and Joe Sakic work together in Colorado will be a lot of fun. I though Colorado had the gas to knock Calgary out of the playoff last season, but they came up one game short. If their fantastic young center Paul Stastny can maintain the level head he had last year and get Milan Hejduk back up the the 90-100 point level, the Avs are going to be a tough team for someone come April.
Who's left? The biggest name out there is Montreal defenseman Sheldon Souray. A 100 mph blast from the point is a great thing to have on offense, but like just like Bryan McCabe [the summer 06 defenseman with shot] he can be a defensive liability at times, which is why GM [and 4 time Selke Winner as best defensive forward] Bob Gainey let him walk. Make no mistake, he will get his big bucks somewhere, but don't count on this guy to win you the Cup.