Clarence Clemons, Rest in Peace

And with you also – Gil Scott Heron

By Victoria Joyce
(SugarBuzz Hollywood)

SugarBuzz Magazine

The Bluesologist and the Big Man left recently. Both men entered Rock and Roll Heaven before Twitter tweeted. Before you could “like” it on Facebook, the pearly gates swung. Our loss, for sure. Both artists left a huge legacy.

May 27th, 2011 in New York City, Gil Scott Heron passed to the next world.

Every obit on GSH mentioned his signature breakout pre-Raphaelite, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Very few of the writers realized the song was a joke and not a threat. Gil was a very funny man. Like Dick Gregory funny. Google it. Rejecting the “Godfather of Rap” title, Heron called himself a Bluesologist. Respect.

The Village Voice got it right comparing Mr. Heron to his imitators today – “clearing his throat coughed up more gravitas than many gruff MCs' tuffest 16 bars.” Clearing his throat!? GSH was only a dangerous black man part of the time. He was a poet, word sculptor, author, an exquisite musician and a singer-songwriter in the hey-day of same.

Producing over 13 albums in the 70s & 80s with a break in the 90s as he fought the addictions he warned us about (“Angel Dust” & “The Bottle”). Last year, his final release “I’m New Here” received high acclaim. I’m so glad he made it back for one more one.

The Rolling Stone quoted somebody saying, “He was our (black folks) Dylan.” Yeah, that’s good. Start there. Except Bobby Zimmerman couldn’t sing like Nat King Cole. Or make you swoon like John Coltrane and Billie Holiday (Gil wrote a nifty song about these two – “Lady Day and John Coltrane.” Yeah, start there.

Almost all of the music writers made reference-calling Gil “the Godfather of Rap” or the “Forefather of Hip Hop.” Again, those points might be in his Top Ten. Pity these poor Music Journalists banished to The Planet of the 32-Year-Olds, ignorant of all that went before.

Required listening: “We Almost Lost Detroit,” written about a nuclear accident in Michigan in 1973. Hello Tokyo. Or try this one, “When You’re No Longer Needed,” about middle-aged Americans losing their jobs and being thrown away. Uh, yeah. Need a good cry? “Pieces of a Man” is the tune for you. Aspiring rapper? “Message to the Messengers” will set you straight. Need a good laugh? “Whitey on the Moon” is self-explanatory. Ya say you want a revolution? “What’s the Word Johannesburg” will inspire you. His message was strong and way, way, way ahead of time.

Here is the bottom line; Gil Scott Heron had one of the most beautiful voices ever recorded and wrote the most phrophetic, provocative and important songs of his day. And worthy of review and replay.

Clarence Clemons died June 18th in Palm Beach, Florida. AKA: The Big Man.

Other long-time Springsteen sideman, actor and disk jockey, Little Steven Van Zandt describes Rock and Roll as “White kids playing Black music and failing beautifully.” It’s a perfect description.

It’s difficult to find an image of Bruce Springsteen on stage where The Big Man is not in the background, looming large and just slightly out of focus, with the exception of the cover of “Born to Run” where Bruce is leaning on Clarence’s shoulder. Bruce with his leather jacket, smile and Stratocaster and Clarence and his big shiny sax, it’s a perfect picture.

Springsteen spun the story in “Tenth Avenue Freeze out,” “…and The Big Man joined the band.” And if you’ve ever been to Springsteen show the biggest cheers came when he introduced the East Street Band’s brass section. The on-stage chemistry between the two is legendary. Small wonder that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered flags hung at half-mast. Nice.

Besides a 40-year run with Bruce and the boys, Clemons was the session go-to guy for everybody from Aretha Franklin, Jackson Brown, Gary US Bonds and Lady Gaga. Yes, you just read those four names in the same sentence.

More than one journalist reflected on the larger-than-life soul of Clemons’ saxophone. The sax being a rock staple once upon a time, as necessary as the electric guitar bringing sophistication and a bridge to the “big band” sound of the 40s (Google Sam Butera).

Little Steven will do a tribute to Clemons on his syndicated radio show, “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” also avail on the web. Keep a box of Kleenex handy.

www.blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/05/gil_scott_heron_obituary_greg_tate.php
www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gil-scott-heron-forefather-of-hip-hop-dead-at-62-20110528
www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/arts/music/gil-scott-heron-voice-of-black-culture-dies-at-62.html?_r=1
www.gilscottheron.com/lylady.html
www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/arts/music/clarence-clemons
www.rollingstone.com/music/news/new-jersey-will-fly-flags-at-half-mast-for-clarence-clemons-20110622
www.rollingstone.com/music/news/e-street-bands-clarence-clemons-dies-at-69-20110618
latimesblogs.latimes.com/music
latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/06/clarence-clemons-appreciation-bruce-springsteen-death.html
undergroundgarage.com/shows-489-480/for-clarence-2.html
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